The Joys of Having Your Own Vegetable Garden

This little post is to show what can be done with a little love, a little dirt and a few seeds. How exciting to be able to grow your own organic food from almost nothing to something that you can see, touch and eat. 

At my house I can't really take any of the credit for our garden. My hubby has put in many hours and lots of love to grow all of the wonderful vegetables. I am pretty sure I have caught him a few times talking to the plants (but we won't mention that to him now will we?). 


The main reason for me mentioning our organic garden is because I think if we all had a little garden we would be helping the environment just that little bit and helping ourselves too. To have fresh produce available in your backyard it is so rewarding and so much better for you.

How nice to know that the little tomato you picked from your own garden didn't have to come from the other side of the country and it wasn't sprayed or frozen for long periods of time.

I love being able to pick fresh herbs from the backyard because how often do you buy a bunch of herbs from the supermarket but you only need a tiny bit and the rest goes to waste?  Or just a couple of tomatoes that you need or a few lettuce leaves. It really does add up in the end. There is so much less vegetable wastage in our house since we had our garden.

Even if you only have a small balcony area, you can plant a few herbs that you use often, maybe some strawberries and a few of your other favourite things.

If you have kids, it is such a great activity to involve them in. It's a wonderful way to teach them about where food comes from. My son loves running out to the garden to pick some cucumbers or tomatoes for dinner! I love having a giggle over the funny shaped vegetables that come out, like the carrot head below we pulled out the other day!

Do you have your own garden? If so,  I would love to hear about it!

Bee xx

bare nourishment Muesli Stockists - Try some Guilt Free Muesli!

bare nourishment muesli is now available at two local stockists in the Hills area of Sydney. If you are local to the area, be sure to stop by to pick up a bag of muesli for yourself or as a gift to someone you know who loves muesli!

Why should you buy bare nourishment muesli?

- All batches of muesli are cooked in 100% virgin cold-pressed organic coconut oil. Unlike most other muesli's on the market which are cooked in cheaper, unhealthy vegetable oils such as canola or sunflower oil. Coconut oil has been linked to many health benefits such as aiding in weight loss and it contains medium chain fatty acids which helps to reduce cholesterol (just to name a couple). You can read more about the benefits of coconut oil here or here if you like.

- It contains NO refined sugars. None. The only sugars that it contains are derived from natural ingredients such as pure maple syrup and dried fruit.

- It contains NO preservatives or artificial flavours. Every single ingredient is sourced by myself with care and consideration for the most natural muesli possible. No ingredients that I use contain preservatives or artificial flavours. Most other muesli's contain these hidden nasties, especially in the dried fruit variations. You can rest assured none of these ingredients are hidden in any batch.

- Each batch is homemade, with love, by myself. I put a lot of care into each batch so I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

What are the flavours?

It currently comes in two flavours

-Vanilla & Cinnamon 

- Raw Organic Cacao 

Where to purchase it?

The House of Herbs & Roses Dural
745 Old Northern Road Dural 2158

Visit The House of Herbs on facebook here

il Puntino Cafe
4-32 Lexington Dr, Bella Vista NSW 2153

Visit il Puntino's website here

Please email barenourishment@live.com if you would like to purchase some muesli but don't live local to the area.

How much does it cost?

$10.95 per bag 

Bee xx

How to Open a Young Coconut in 3 Easy Steps

I had a little giggle the other day when I was with some girlfriends who confessed they have no idea how to open a coconut, so they just don't bother (or they get their hubby's to do it for them). 

So this blog post is dedicated to them. Helping to get the ladies to open their own coconuts ;)

Firstly, you need a young drinking coconut. You can buy these everywhere now.  Big supermarkets such as coles, woollies, aldi or Asian grocers will usually always stock them. When I am buying coconuts I always look for really white ones with no cracks. The older they get the bottom becomes cracked and slightly yellowy/brown... you don't want these ones. They taste old.

Ok so lets get coconut opening... You will need a half decent knife that you are prepared to say good bye to for using for any proper chopping up again as it will get blunt. Very blunt.

1. Put your coconut on a firm bench, put your left hand behind your back (or right hand if you are left handed! Yes this may seem extreme but I'm sure you would find it preferable not chopping off any of your fingers during this process) and gently mark out four or five lines on the coconut around the top

2. With your left hand behind your back, slowly hit the knife hard into those lines. Keep going around with quite a lot of pressure over the lines. 



3. Some coconuts are more stubborn than others so once you have gone around the coconut, stabbing it (in the nicest possible way) and it still doesn't open, I find it helpful to put the bottom edge of the knife into one of the openings and wedge it under hitting it through the outer shell, then you can wedge up the knife and it lifts up quite easily.

It may seem daunting the first time you open your coconut (ahhh, first world problems) but you will be a pro in no time!

Good luck!

Bee xx

RECIPE | Banana Bread (Paleo, Grain Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free) - Delicious!

This banana bread is a must try for all banana bread lovers. It looks just like 'real' banana bread. It is moist & delicious just how any good banana bread should be although it contains no grains, no dairy and no refined sugar. It is delicious recipe for paleo eaters :) I have been given the tick of approval by hubby and friends that this is a much nicer, lighter version of the heavy bread found elsewhere.

I embarked on a paleo lifestyle a few weeks ago and ever since I have longed for a slice of banana bread! Mainly because I couldn't eat it I am sure! I am glad I had the craving because this led me to three weekends of perfecting this delicious banana bread recipe. After trial and error I am so happy with the result! I am actually eating a slice now with a cup of tea!

Ingredients:

3 medium bananas, mashed very well

2 tablespoons desiccated coconut

1 cup tinned coconut milk

2 tablespoons shredded coconut

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
2 tablespoons raw honey 

2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

3 eggs

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup almond meal

3/4 cup coconut flour 

1 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt 

A few almonds or whatever you have handy to sprinkle on top

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 180'c

Grease & line loaf tin

Whisk bananas, vanilla, eggs, honey & coconut milk together 

Add almond meal, coconut flour, shredded coconut, cinnamon, baking soda & salt, whisk until combined breaking up any clumps with the whisk

Mix through the melted coconut oil

Whisk all for approx 1 minute until it reaches a smooth(ish) consistency

Pour into prepared loaf tin & bake for 1 hour - 1 hour 15 mins - until skewer comes out clean

Half way through you may need to cover the top loosely with foil to stop it browning.

Voila! Yummy banana bread to kill the cravings without any guilt :) You can serve with some butter or honey (or both) or it is lovely on it's own.

Enjoy!

Bee xx

Just a note on the ingredients, everything listed can be found at health food stores but I also have seen everything a large supermarkets. I found Bob's Mill Organic Coconut Flour at Coles so these things aren't hard to find :)

RECIPE | Overnight Soaked - Brekky in a Jar

There is something about eating out of a jar that just makes it all the more special to eat.. No idea why, I guess it is just the novelty factor. When I am in need of a super energising brekky which is a bit more filling than a smoothie, I always opt for a "Brekky in a Jar". 

The possibilities are endless with what you can put in these jars, but here are a couple of my favourites :)

Overnight Soaked Chia & Oats Brekky in a Jar

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Half cup rolled oats
3/4 cup milk of choice (I am loving coconut milk at the moment)
Handful of frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon of dessicated coconut
2 teaspoons maple syrup 

Directions:
Mix together chia seeds with oats and stir in milk
Allow to sit on bench for 10 minutes 
Stir again to ensure the chia soaks up all the milk properly (otherwise it goes clumpy)
Put in fridge over night

In the morning you can layer your brekky in a jar. I layer all of the ingredients and add a little maple syrup over the coconut. I like to put frozen blueberries on top so by the time I get to work they are defrosted and the juice runs through the other ingredients :)


Overnight Soaked Chocolate Chia & Raspberry Brekky in a Jar

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon chia seeds
1 cup milk of choice (I am loving coconut milk at the moment)
Handful of frozen raspberries
Handful of slivered almonds
2 teaspoons raw cacao
2 teaspoons maple syrup 

Directions:
Mix together chia seeds with cacao and stir in milk
Allow to sit on bench for 10 minutes 
Stir again to ensure the chia soaks up all the milk properly (otherwise it goes clumpy)
Put in fridge over night

In the morning you can layer your brekky in a jar. I layered all of the ingredients and added some loving earth chocolate buckinis on top.. You could just add extra almonds or other nuts, it is nice for some extra crunch!

Enjoy!

Bee xx

Get rid of the Guilt Associated with Eating!

 

I am sure everyone feels bad sometimes for something they have eaten, whether it was from giving in to the chocolate craving or wolfing down that burger and fries. Really though, there is no need to feel guilty.

We have so many things to worry about these days, with families all working such long hours and the cost of living being so expensive. The last thing we want to feel is guilt when we do slip up.

I think the guilt that we feel is actually much worse than the naughty meal itself!

When we put ourselves on strict diets or restrict certain foods we are more inclined to slip up because we know we can’t have it, so we want it! It is better to allow yourself a little something here and there and you will find yourself less likely to gorge yourself on a whole box of lindt balls (although have you tried the salted caramel flavour? OMG!)

Next time you slip up or give in to something, just let it be. Enjoy it and make a conscious decision to try to make the right choices next time… Once you have eaten it, it is gone… No need to eat yourself up (pardon the pun) with guilt about it.

When we start making conscious choices and fill our plates with more healthier options, slowly over time those cravings for ‘bad’ foods disappear because you are getting everything you need from the nourishing, healthy food choices you are making.

Food is meant to be fun and pleasurable. It is the fuel to replenish our bodies so give it what it needs… and cut yourself some slack for not being perfect all the time.

Bee xxImages sourced from
http://www.lovefromtheoven.com/2012/01/14/melting-chocolate-to-make-cake-pops-chocolate-pretzels-chocolate-covered-marshmallows-and-more/

Letting go

RECIPE | Mostly Raw Soba Noodle Salad

This Asian inspired salad takes about 15 minutes to whip up. Delicious on it's own or great as a side dish.

Serves 2 as main meal or 4 as a small side 

Salad Ingredients
1 packet organic soba noodles (I used 2/3rds of the packet) – cook according to packet until al dente then leave to drain and cool
1 punnet/ handful cherry tomatoes cut in half
2 zucchinis grated
1 carrot grated
1 long red chilli, seeds removed and deveined, sliced thin
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Handful of fresh mint chopped fine
Handful of fresh coriander chopped fine

Dressing Ingredients:
½ lemon juice
1 tablespoon cold-pressed seasame oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce
1 teaspoon raw honey

Directions:
Prepare ingredients as noted above.
Mix all dressing ingredients together in a bowl except sesame seeds
Mix all salad ingredients together in large bowl, mix in the cooled noodles then mix through dressing ingredients
Top with sesame seeds

Enjoy!

Bee xx

Basic Homemade Sauerkraut

To very briefly explain why you should try this (a part from it being tasty) is because it is a very inexpensive way to increase your probiotic intake. We all know probiotics are beneficial to gut health and the gut is responsible for so much in keeping us feeling good - so why not feed it with good bacteria! The store bought sauerkraut is not as good for you because it has been pasteurised (meaning it no longer contains all of the beneficial bacteria & enzymes) and it contains way too much salt! And why buy it when you can make so much of it for under $2!


How does cabbage ferment? The lactic acid found in cabbage eats away at the natural sugars causing fermentation. I found some great information on the livestrong website if you would like to read further about the benefits of sauerkraut and what good bacteria it contains click here http://www.livestrong.com/article/413921-does-sauerkraut-have-all-the-probiotics-i-need/.

Don't be turned off by the long list below - it really is super simple.

What you will need

Jars to store sauerkraut
A big mixing bowl
Knife or mandoline to shred cabbage
A wooden spoon or rolling pin
Cooler bag (I just use a cheap, thin one from the supermarket)

 Ingredients
-1 organic cabbage (must be organic or chemical free, the chemicals and pesticides will harm the good bacteria trying to grow while in the fermenting stage)
-1 teaspoon sea salt (I only use Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, but just use whatever you have on hand if you don’t want to buy any)
-Save all of the outer leaves of the cabbage – wash them well

Directions
-First wash everything the cabbage will be touching (including your hands) such as the mixing bowl and the jars you will be storing the sauerkraut in. I use small mason jars but anything with an airlock lid is fine. I wash them in warm soapy water, rinse them and then pour boiling hot water from the kettle all over them to make sure they are sterilised. Pour boiling hot water from the kettle all over the end of the wooden spoon to sterilise; you will be using this to pack in the cabbage-Wash cabbage in filtered water
-Shred or slice the cabbage as thin as possible (this is where a mandoline is great! If you don’t have one though just use a knife)
-Put all of the cabbage in the mixing bowl and pour in half of the salt.
-Crush and mix all the cabbage with your hands (it is quite therapeutic). It will begin releasing some of the water, and then add the remaining salt and keep crushing for a couple of minutes until is the cabbage is soft
-You are now ready to pack the cabbage into your jars
-With your hands, stuff the jars inch by inch with cabbage, every now and then use the end of the wooden spoon to pack it in really tight so there is no space, and continue doing this until you reach about an inch before the top of the jar
-Fill the jars with filtered or spring water to just above the packed in cabbage
-Once you have done this with all of your jars, roll the outer leaves of cabbage that you saved and put on top of shredded cabbage to create a layer between that and the lid. This will help to keep the shredded cabbage submerged in the water (this will help prevent mould from forming)
-Close the lids tight and put all of the jars in your cooler bag, if you don’t have a cooler bag just put in a plastic bag. Some people like to place a plate with weights on top of the jars, I don’t think this is necessary.
-Now it is time to store your sauerkraut to let all of the fun fermentation begin! I store mine in the garage in the cooler bag for 5 days, then transfer to the fridge to enjoy! It lasts for about a month in the fridge.

When the weather is warm, it might be ready after only 3 days so just keep checking on it. Or it might take longer if it is cooler – up to 10 days. You will know is ready when lots of little bubbles form around the jars and the cabbage looks a bit lighter in colour. You can taste it along the way if you want to, it will taste slightly pickled and tangy.

Once it is ready, sometimes the top layer of cabbage (the rolled outer layer) will form a few holes or mould, this is not harmful (as long as you can’t see any in the rest of the jar). Mould sometimes forms on the parts that are not submerged in water - you can just take this off and throw it away.

The sauerkraut should taste tangy but not sour or yeasty at all. If it tastes mouldy or you think something is off – probably best not to eat it.

It is normal for some of the water to bubble up and come out of the lid. This happens during fermentation when the bubbles are forming. This is why I like using a cooler bag as it keeps everything in. Once the sauerkraut is ready to transfer to the fridge you can just pour a little of the water out when you take off the top layers of outer cabbage leaves.
Store for up to a month in the refrigerator and enjoy! I have it most days, a little before lunch or with lunch and then a spoonful or two before dinner. :-)

I will do another post about creating different flavours and different cultured vegetables but this is just a good place to start if you have never done it before. :-)

TIP – If you aren’t a fan of the taste of sauerkraut, you can just add a tablespoon or two on top of your salads. You will get used to the tangy taste and soon enough you will probably crave it like I do. Stay tuned for my next post on flavoured sauerkraut. You can experiment with different flavours like adding garlic, chilli, caraway seeds- anything really – the possibilities are endless. Let me know if you have any recommendations for a different flavour that I should try.

TIP - You can open the lid every day to let out some of the gasses, this helps to prevent it from bubbling out of the jar. You don't have to do this but it makes it a lot less messy! :)

Enjoy!

Bee xx

PAINS, CRAMPS & BLOATING - How to get rid of them! IBS & The Low FODMAP's Diet

Since I can remember, I have suffered from abdominal pains and bloating. It has been at its worst over the past few years but even when I was a kid after I ate certain foods (apples, ice-cream and chewing gum in particular) about an hour later I always had severe bloating and cramps. I thought I was just being silly because why would anyone get sick after eating an apple?! An apple a day keeps the doctor away after all... right? Well not for me...

At around 2pm most days I was in agony with cramps and a stomach that has doubled in size. In hope of “fixing’ myself, the past two years I have made a really conscious effort to eat even healthier and cleaner with expectation that it would help to relieve my symptoms but things just kept getting worse.

I couldn't stop the bloating, I was always tired and I never had a regular pattern for going to the bathroom. Sometimes I would be super regular and sometimes I wouldn't go for days (and by days I mean MANY days!).

I had been to my doctor who suggested I eliminate gluten, I did this for a while and the symptoms didn’t ease. Then I eliminated dairy which didn't help either (as I don't eat dairy anyway except for some cheese here and there). I did x-rays and tests galore to get to the bottom of this problem because it was beginning to get me really down. I was tired of being in pain all of the time when I made such an effort with my diet. I was “healthier” than I had ever been and yet I felt worse than I had ever felt.

Finally after every other possible test had been done, and all other illnesses had been eliminated (thank goodness) I was diagnosed with IBS. IBS..!!!! Why didn’t I realise this!? I couldn't believe that I didn't realise that my own gut health was not in shape. I didn’t put two and two together because I always associated IBS with the need to constantly run to the bathroom but I have now learned that this is not necessary true; there are 3 different types of IBS. . The different types are a) constipation mixed with normal, b) diarrhoea mixed with constipation (sorry but this post wasn't designed to be pretty) or c) when you have predominately diarrhoea mixed with normal.

More on that here Better Health Info on IBS

Some symptoms include
- bloating/ swollen stomach area
- cramps and pains in the stomach
- major discomfort in the stomach
- feeling full after eating a small meal

There are more symptoms and if you think you may have IBS the following link has some useful information IBS Fact Sheet - Womens Health

My doctor advised me I should start to follow a low FODMAP diet. WTF is FODMAP? I am glad you asked! :) It stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharide’s and Polyols. FODMAP’s are found in many of the common foods we eat such as wheat, milk as well as many fruit & vegetables. People with IBS have a hard time getting some foods which are high in FODMAP's pushed through the small intestine, so by the time the food gets to the large intestine these molecules which haven't been properly absorbed are readily available for the bacteria (that is normally there) in the large intestine to feed on it causing these FODMAP's to ferment. This then leads to the symptoms that many of us know as IBS! I had never even heard of this diet before so I was surprised by how the foods on the high FODMAP list related to my bad symptoms. Apples (yes apples!!) in particular are one of the worst offenders for people with IBS. So it wasn’t just me being crazy, I was actually harming my gut the more I tried to eat healthier. There I was filling up in the mornings on green smoothies with apples and pears so no wonder I never felt great by lunch time. I used honey in replacement of sugar thinking that I was being healthy but I was actually irritating my gut even more because fructose is a major cause of IBS symptoms. Garlic, onion, beetroot, stone fruit, fennel are all things I eat weekly, some even daily and these things are some of the sources of my pain! After learning more about the low FODMAP diet and sticking to it as best as possible I have already reduced my symptoms and have only been doing it for a short time. I haven’t had one cramp since I have been following it!

I found this great FODMAP'S Table of foods suitable and unsuitable on the low FODMAP diet. This is not a diet for weight loss but if you suffer from the horrible symptoms of IBS (and 1 in 5 of us does) you will notice a significant difference in the appearance of your stomach as it won’t be bloated anymore! I always needed to cover up my stomach with baggy tops in case it would bloat but now it seems I don't have to worry about that anymore.

It is recommend to eliminate all of the high FODMAP containing foods for around 6-8 weeks and then slowly re-introduce certain foods back in to work out what your personal tolerance level is. Everybody is different, so while you may be able to eat an apple every day, someone else (like me) may not. You may be able to eat a slice of bread everyday but any more may cause you pains, so it really is trial and error until you work out what is good for your body and what isn’t. I am really hoping that mangoes are ok for me once I re-introduce some fruits because they are my absolute favourite!

Obviously you should consult your doctor before starting any diet and if you do think you might have IBS you should first rule out other problems that might be causing the similar symptoms. Polycystic ovaries, coeliac disease can cause similar symptoms such as cramping, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea so you should always have your doctor test for the other things first.

If you do have IBS (I feel for you so much!) then I highly recommend giving this a try. It won’t cause you any more harm by trying, and if it doesn’t work for you then it doesn’t work… What have you got to lose? (A 5 month pregnant looking belly perhaps!) It is so nice not being in pain everyday! I had actually started to believe that was normal and everyone must feel like that!

The transition for me hasn't been too hard. The hardest part for me has been not being able to eat as much fruit because I usually have a smoothie with apples and pears but I have cut that out now. I am still having a smoothie but filling it with more greens. Going off wheat might be hard for you if you eat a lot of it but to make it easier you can have other grains, I eat a lot of quinoa so I have been using that for lunch most days. You can have spelt sourdough which is delicious so it’s not all bad! I just made spelt & oatmeal muffins and they are delicious!

If you do a google search you will find many lists which are easy to print and stick to your fridge to remind yourself what you can and can't have until you get used to it. The one I used is this FODMAP'S Table.

I would love to hear about your journey with IBS and if you have tried the low FODMAP diet and if it has helped you? Please share in the comments section below :-)

Bee x






Information on IBS & FODMAP's sourced from 

http://shepherdworks.com.au/disease-information/low-fodmap-diet

http://ibs.about.com/b/2011/03/29/printable-fodmap-diet-chart.htm
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Irritable_bowel_syndrome

Images Sourced From

http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/news/editorial-tummy-bug-takes-heavy-toll/1782533/

http://thewakeupcallradioshow.com/10292011-stomach-health/

Keeping my manic on the down low

By nature, deep down I am a manic person. I used to suffer from major anxiety and would have panic attacks at the drop of a hat. I was 16 when I was first diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and was given Xanax by my doctor to help me relax. I always hated taking the medication and the only time I took it was at night to help me sleep because if I didn't I would have an attack so bad that I felt like I was having a heart attack and could barely breathe (other sufferers of panic attacks will easily relate to this feeling).

For my own health, I have had to learn how to keep my calm on and the manic on the down low. I came to the decision that I didn't want this disorder to over run my life like it had been. On some days I was too scared to leave home in case I began hyperventilating.

One day I decided to tell myself that nothing was wrong with me and decided that it would not be an issue for me anymore. I decided I would surround myself with happiness, most importantly the people around me. I began taking note of when I felt an attack coming on and was able to breathe through it and it would go away.

I have now reached a point now in my life where I am happy and content and more or less calm. Although like all people, there are times when I find myself in a situation that is stressful – usually when I haven’t thought things through properly - I become a completely different person compared to my usually now relatively calm self. I become flustered, start yelling, pacing and freaking out. It happened this morning because my darling hubby booked my car in for a pink slip. That shouldn't be stressful I know, but because I hadn’t thought about how I was going to get to work once I dropped my car at the mechanic I became a crazy person. It also happens sometimes when I am cooking. I love cooking, but on some occasions I really don’t feel like it so at these times I should stick to cheese on toast because when I attempt anything more impressive than that I almost end up having a divorce. I fluff around the kitchen, dropping things, my head is spinning, and more often than not I burn myself on anything and everything. Most of the time the food ends up in the garbage and we eat cheese on toast anyway. There are many other times when things go bad, such as after an argument with a loved one when I can feel the manic in me creeping out to say hello but instead of letting it take over me I let myself be aware of it and then breathe.

I have simple tips listed below which I follow when I feel the crazy coming out and not before long I am back to the calm me.

Breathe - breathe in breathe out slow deep breaths for 6 seconds each way (a good tip learnt from yoga)- I found some good tips on how to breathe in the following bloghttp://thehealthylivinglounge.com/2009/11/23/how-to-breathe-better


Take time out – when things get overwhelming and you can feel the manic creeping in, take 10 minutes away from what you are doing. If you are at work, go outside and walk around the block for 10 minutes. The fresh air and the exercise will get you to a calmer state. It gives you time to put into perspective that what you were doing is maybe not that stressful and you can get back to work in a clearer state.

Exercise – I prefer yoga, it keeps me centred and relaxed and gives me time to reflect. Walking on my own is a good time to relax as well.

Meditate – When I have a free night alone or if everyone at home is asleep I try to get in a good ten minutes of meditation. It has been proven to reduce stress levels. Even major companies are requesting their staff to meditate to increase efficiency.

I feel a great sense of accomplishment when my husband, friends or colleagues tell me how calm I am, as it has taken great effort for me to get to this point where I don't get stressed out.

Life is what you make it...

RECIPE | My Favourite Green Smoothie

There is so much talk about green smoothies these days, and for good reason.. They are so good! They are a great way to boost your energy levels first thing in the morning (after a warm lemon water of course), they are jam packed full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, vitamins C, E, K folate and so on and so forth.. These smoothies are just fab! When I started drinking them years ago my husband turned his nose up at 'the gross green sludge' (his words) that I was drinking.. now he loves them so much he asks me to make extra for him!

I used to have quite a heavy breakfast such as toast or cereal, now while I still have these things occasionally I prefer to drink the green smoothie because of how energetic I feel afterwards!

There are many recipes, and you really don't need to follow one exactly but as long as you are packing in the greens and mixing up some fruit you should be good to go! 

I have made many different types with all different kinds of greens and fruit such as kale, spinach, swiss chard, cucumber, apple, pear, mango, banana, celery, strawberries, raspberries, any berries! You get the idea.. but my absolute favourite is listed below! If you are new to green smoothies this might be good one for you to try because the flavour of the coconut water really disguises the 'green' taste!

Bee's Glorious Green Smoothie

1 cup of coconut water (preferably from fresh young coconut, or bottled is fine if you can't find it)

1 cup kale (leaves only, no stalks - makes it bitter)

1 cup baby spinach

1 apple 

1 banana

1 cup strawberries

1 stalk celery

juice of half a lemon

Mix coconut water with greens first until very smooth, I turn my blender slowly up to full speed, then slowly add the cut up pieces of hard fruit until they are all smooth, then last add the banana, strawberries and juice of half a lemon. Blend all until very smooth, I keep it on for a minute or so to make sure. The more blended it is - the easier the nutrients can enter your system! I make a batch big enough to last a few days so I am not having to do it every day.

Enjoy!

And don't forget if you are using a fresh coconut to scoop out the delicious soft fleshy goodness inside! Some reasons for eating a young coconut are for the antioxidants, the good fats that we need to eat, magnesium, potassium, manganese just to name a few! Oh.. and it is delicious!