Green Apple White Tea Smoothie

Here's a great way to get more antioxidants from apples and tea in a smoothie! I've always been a fan of white tea. It tastes great with honey and stevia. Findings on apples show the great varitey of benefits they have to offer. Here's a way to incorporate them into a good-for-you breakfast.

Pai Mu Tan 

GREEN APPLE WHITE TEA SMOOTHIE

1 banana
1/2 apple
1 cup water, add a little more if needed
3 white tea ice cubes
agave to sweeten
Daily Protein Whey in Strawberry (see resources and links)



WHITE TEA

White tea is from the same tea plant as green and black tea, (Camellia sinensis). What makes white tea stand out above the rest? White tea has the most antioxidants and the least amount of caffeine since it's minimally processed. It contains about 15 mg of caffeine per cup. The immature buds are plucked and ready to be made into a delicate, and delicious tea. This tea doensn't have the grassy taste that green tea has. White tea has been researched and shown to have positive effects towards: weight loss, healthy skin, cancer and more. Although white tea is more expensive than green or black tea, it can be steeped up to three times! Black and green teas become bitter after one brew. I ususally brew my loose leaf white peony or pai mu tan tea in the morning once, and set the strainer aside. The next day, I'll add a few more leaves to it, and brew again. If your're wanting to make tea for a smoothie, drink your first cup, and brew the second to make into ice cubes or let cool and pour directly into your blender.


APPLES

Research on apples shows the importance of eating whole, unprocessed foods. Who would ever have imagined that a food containing sugar could help regulate blood sugar! This is a feat that is accomplished by the amazing apple. There are a variety of polyphenols (specialized nutrients) in apples, the one most concentrated in the skin being quercetin. Quercetin inhibits enzymes that would otherwise convert complex carbohydrates into simple sugars in our bodies. (Apples should be organic, especially if you are eating the skin). From these findings, I'll leave the skin on my apple for the next smoothie I make!

References: 

greenteadatabase.com 

whfoods.com/apples 

livestrong.com 

Disclaimer: Those seeking help for specific medical conditions are advised to consult a qualified nutrition therapist, clinical nutritionist, doctor, or equivalent health care professional. The recommendations given here are intended solely as education and information, and should not be taken as medical advice. Neither myself nor the sources mentioned accept liability for those who choose to self-prescribe. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to treat, diagnose or cure any disease either physical or mental.

"More Than Meets the Eye" Green Smoothie

This is a strange name for a smoothie, but I didn't want anyone to shy away from trying it just because it isn't pretty. Some green drinks come out with vibrant green hues and look great. This one is more of an avocado green:) But don't let looks fool you, because it's sweet and delicious!











"MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE" SMOOTHIE

1/2 cup frozen mixed fruit
1/2 mango
1 holy basil ice cube (optional) See precautions and benefits
1 or 2 large swiss chard leaves
1 cup or more water
agave if desired


Blend all ingredients in your high-speed blender. Use FREE SHIPPING CODE: 06-005792 with your order. Just follow the link below.

Holy Basil Tea Smoothie

Here's a smoothie recipe that's a little outside the box. If you want to get more benefits from your morning breakfast drink, try an herbal tea smoothie. Make your favorite tea, let cool and pour into ice cube trays. When choosing supplements, have your personal goals in mind. Are you in need of stress relief, digestive help, antioxidants or more fiber? Once you've identified what your needs are, you can optimize your nutrition. My goals are to improve my digestion, reduce stress. This smoothie contains the following ingredients and benefits:

Holy Basil Tea Smoothie
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 scoop Daily Protein Strawberry flavor (wellness resources)
1 banana
1/2 orange
2 Holy Basil Herbal Tea ice cubes
1/2 cup blueberry juice
1/2 cup water or less

BLUEBERRIES:

I remember reading that blueberries have the potential to eliminate all putrefying matter in the intestines. An article from sciencedaily.com supports this idea. Here's an excerpt:

Blueberries Counteract Intestinal Diseases ScienceDaily (Feb. 8, 2010) — It is already known that blueberries are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. New research from the Lund University Faculty of Engineering in Sweden shows that blueberry fibre are important and can alleviate and protect against intestinal inflammations, such as ulcerative colitis. The protective effect is even better if the blueberries are eaten together with probiotics. I guess I should add some probiotics next time!

DAILY WHEY PROTEIN

Whey protein is great for digestive health. The method used for making this whey protein is different from the industry standard, producing a high quality, highly digestible protein. You'll notice the difference if you try it. Here's more information: "Another benefit of our new protein filtration is that it leaves in place a high amount of glycomacropeptides that support digestive health as well as a concentration of special immune boosting nutrients.* Now it is possible to get sulfur-containing and branch-chain amino acids to build muscle and replenish the glutathione antioxidant system, vital to health and immunity. See the amino acid profile for Daily Protein.*"

To order Daily Whey Protein, please follow the link on this page for Wellness Resources.

HOLY BASIL This herb from India is also known as Tulsi. It is well known in South Asia and has many uses. Notice what has been said about this herbs effect on stress: "Holy Basil is considered an adaptogen, which means that it assists the body adapt to stress (environmental, physical, or chemical), restore balance in the body, and normalize body functions." Please note: There are some precautions with Holy Basil if you are pregnant or nursing. It may have an anti-fertility effect. Refrain from use if you are trying to conceive. I'll post some more tea smoothies on a future blog. Experiement with recipes to get the taste you like. Hope you enjoy this one!



References:
mountainroseherbs.com
dr.weil.com
sciencedaily.com


Disclaimer: Those seeking help for specific medical conditions are advised to consult a qualified nutrition therapist, clinical nutritionist, doctor, or equivalent health care professional. The recommendations given here are intended solely as education and information, and should not be taken as medical advice. Neither myself nor the sources mentioned accept liability for those who choose to self-prescribe. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to treat, diagnose or cure any disease either physical or mental.

Kaley Peary 

Kale

Kale is a leafy green vegetable that belongs to the Brassica family, a group of vegetables including cabbage, collards, and Brussels sprouts that have gained recent widespread attention due to their health-promoting, sulfur-containing phytonutrients. Kale has been especially researched relating to it's positive effects against cancer. It is easy to grow and can grow in colder temperatures where a light frost will produce especially sweet kale leaves. It's no wonder that kale looks so good in our local grocery stores! 

Kale is great for adding to your morning juice for many reasons. It's nutrient rich and packed with antioxidants. In addition to conventional antioxidants like vitamin C, beta-carotene, and manganese, kale also provides us with at least 45 different recently discovered flavonoids, including kaempferol and quercetin. Many of the flavonoids in kale are also now known to function not only as antioxidants, but also as anti-inflammatory compounds. 

Kale also plays a role in support of the body's detoxification processes. Compounds in kale have been shown to help regulate detox activities in our cells. Most toxins that pose a risk to our body must be detoxified by our cells using a two-step process. The two steps in the process are called Phase I detoxification and Phase II detoxification. The ITCs made from kale's glucosinolates have been shown to favorably modify both detox steps (Phase I and Phase II). In addition, the unusually large numbers of sulfur compounds in kale have been shown to help support aspects of Phase II detoxification that require the presence of sulfur. By supporting both aspects of our cellular detox process (Phase I and Phase II), nutrients in kale can give our body an "edge up" in dealing with toxic exposure, whether from our environment or from our food.

Here's how I like my kale: 

Kaley Peary

1 small organic banana

1 organic pear

3 medium kale leaves 

1 cup or more of water 

agave to sweeten 

3 cubes ice 

Blend on low from 1-10 fast, then on HIGH for 20 seconds.


Click on the link below for prices and more information. Use FREE SHIPPING code: 06-005792

References:

whfoods.com

Note: Please see dietary concerns for kale at whfoods.com if you have any kidney problems.

Disclaimer:


Those seeking help for specific medical conditions are advised to consult a qualified nutrition therapist, clinical nutritionist, doctor, or equivalent health care professional. 
The recommendations given here are intended solely as education and information, and should not be taken as medical advice. Neither myself nor the sources mentioned accept liability for those who choose to self-prescribe. 

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to treat, diagnose or cure any disease either physical or mental.

The "Michael Banangelo" Green Smoothie

If you've purchased a high-speed blender and you're ready to try some green drink recipes, you may like this one. My husband named it the Michael Banangelo since it's made with tangelos and bananas. He thinks it's a work of art!

Here's the recipe:

2 small organic bananas
1 large tangelo
3 medium leaves from collard greens
Sweeten with agave nectar
1 cup or more of water
3 cubes of ice

Start to blend on Variable speed at 1, then increase to 10 and HIGH. Blend until smooth in seconds.
Click below for FREE SHIPPING on your purchase! Use code #06-005792


This link will open to the home store page, and lead you to special deals on reconditioned machines as well.