Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie

MINT + CHOCOLATE = my favorite combo ever ? As a kid I loved mint chocolate chip ice cream and I still do, but I opt for dairy free versions now, like @coconutbliss. But enter the smoothie – the perfect way to get my fix. Plus, this smoothie has the right combo of P+F+F – Protein, Fat and Fiber – three essentials to balancing your blood sugar and keeping you energized.

I feel like talking about blood sugar just isn’t sexy, but it’s often THE most important part to address when it comes to hormones. If you’re dealing with PCOS, PMS, infertility, menopause, stress – all of these are impacted by your blood sugar. Not to mention, if your exhausted, craving sugar and carbs (or eat sugar and carbs alittttle more often than you’d like), there’s a good chance your blood sugar is out of whack.

It really is any easy fix, but as with anything, you’ll have to commit to change and follow through in order to see change. And the best part, in as little as 3 days you can start to feel a shift with your blood sugar. I’ve had diabetics who have normalized their blood sugar just after 3 days. We’ve managed to get their numbers into a normal range – a range they haven’t seen in YEARS! In fact, you can read about one of my diabetic testimonials here and how Elide got off all her meds. 

Ok… but now onto this Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie. It feels like you’re having dessert for breakfast, but I’ve actually loaded up this recipe with some KEY ingredients that support your hormones, such as avocados, spinach – hello magnesium and healthy fat, plus a healthy scoop of protein to balance your blood sugar. I don’t often use a full banana in my smoothie, but felt it was needed with this recipe. And the key is to balance out that sweetness with protein and fat. 

I should mention that the protein powder I love using is Design for Health Pure Paleo Protein. I always keep vanilla and chocolate on hand. It’s definitely not a cheap protein as it is a grass fed beef isolate (no, it doesn’t taste like beef), but it’s so forth, creamy and perfectly sweet. It also contains 70% collagen, so it’s a two-in-one supplement, which I love! You can order off our site here and save 15% off ALL supplements with coupon code – SAVE15

Hereโ€™s the recipe! Enjoy ๐Ÿ™‚ 

Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie

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Keyword: dairy free, gluten free, grain free, green smoothies, healthy fats, highfatlowcarb, holisticwellness, low sugar, mint chocolate chip smoothie, paleo smoothies, pff, protein, fat and fiber
Servings: 1
Author: Samantha Gladish

Ingredients

  • 1 small frozen banana
  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 cup fresh spinach
  • 1/4 of a small/medium sized avocado
  • 10-20 fresh mint leaves OR 1 drop peppermint essential oil
  • 1 scoop vanilla or chocolate protein powder or collagen peptides chocolate could change the color of your smoothie but who cares - itโ€™ll still be delish!
  • 1/2 cup crushed ice or more if you like it thicker
  • 1 tablespoon cacao nibs or @enjoylifefoods chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Place banana, milk, spinach, avocado, mint, protein powder, and ice in a blender.
  • Process until smooth. Add in cacao nibs/chocolate chips and briefly pulse. Serve garnished with additional cacao nibs or chocolate chips and enjoy!
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Chocolatey Black Bean Brownies

Image 2Simple, easy, and mess free!

These brownies are so easy to make. Pile all your ingredients into a food processor and viola! You’ve got delicious brownie batter made from BLACK BEANS!

Yesโ€ฆya heard right! These brownies are made with heart healthy, fibrous black beans. I was shocked at how moist they were! They are absolutely delicious and will become a new dessert staple of mine ๐Ÿ™‚

I’m prepping for a Women’s Seminar next week and need to introduce them to easy and simple ways to prepare gluten free goodies, minus all the expensive gluten free flours out there. Let’s face it, almond flour, coconut flour; as much as these are staples in my baking, they can be quite costly.

So if you need a chocolate fix that won’t break the bank, make these brownies!

Black beans are packed with protein and fiber, two key macronutrients that help to keep you fuller for longer. This is also beneficial for balancing blood sugar levels.

“One cup of black beans provides over 4 grams of soluble fiber, and this is precisely the type of fiber that researchers have found especially helpful in lowering blood cholesterol levels. Decreased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and myocardial infarct (MI, or heart attack) have both been associated with increased intake of soluble fiber from food” – WHF.

In just 1 cup of black beans, you’ll get a super dose of magnesium, B1, folate and iron. All nutrients essential for your health. Not to mention the extra magnesium and antioxidant boost you’ll get from the added cacao powder!

Now let’s get backing!

Gluten Free Chocolatey Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:

1 14oz. can black beans (I use Eden Organic)
3 organic eggs
ยฝ cup of cacao powder
ยฝ cup coconut oil, softened (room temp)
ยฝ cup coconut sugar
ยฝ cup of dark chocolate chips
1 tsp ground vanilla bean or vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
ยฝ teaspoon of baking soda
ยฝ cup roughly chopped walnuts (optional)

Directionsโ€จ
1. Preheat oven to 350Fโ€จand grease a brownie pan with coconut oil.
2. Add all ingredients except walnuts to a food processor and puree to create your batter.
3. Add batter to brownie pan and gently stir in walnuts.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

 

Other ingredient options:

– Add 1/3 cup dried cherries for extra sweetness

– Try using ยฝ cup maple syrup instead of coconut sugar

– Butter works well instead of coconut oil

– High quality cocoa powder can substituted for cacao

– Top with toasted coconut flakes

 

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Spaghetti Squash Bake with Italian Sausage and Herbs

Oh yum!

I think I just made on one of the most delicious and satisfying dinners ever.

You know you’ve cooked up something good when your boyfriend asks for thirds!! Not seconds, but thirds!

I love me a good recipe. Especially one that is healthy, satisfying, and is free of glutinous grains and starches.

Most of my carbohydrate sources comes from more nutrient dense sources such as sweet potato, squash, pumpkin and some fruits. I’ve given up most glutinous grains and ‘white’ sources of nutrition-less breads. The one thing I can’t kick is oats. I love my oats. My favourite brand is Bobs Red Mill wheat free rolled oats. They are great for making homemade oat flour and using in baking recipes, or for a delicious and warming morning oatmeal.

Have you kicked the grains?

Are you still eating gluten?

I highly advise you ditch the gluten and start replacing your carbohydrate sources with more satisfying and nourishing squashes. Ditching white bread for whole wheat is a WHOLE other issue. Going gluten free includes ditching wheat too! And may I addโ€ฆ.going gluten free doesn’t just require that you swap out your typical glutinous loaf of bread for a gluten free loaf. It really doesn’t work that way! Most of the gluten free breads are loaded with junk. So my honest advice, ditch the bread altogether!

It’s easier than you think! Especially once you try this recipe, you won’t miss the ‘starchy’ carbs. In fact, you just may beat the bloat and feel a whole lot better ๐Ÿ™‚

Now onto the goodness…

Image 2

Spaghetti Squash Bake with Italian Sausage and Herbs
(recipe adapted from PaleoOMG.com)

Ingredients:
  • 1 large spaghetti squash
  • 1 pound italian sausage (turkey, chicken or pork will do) – source out organic/antibiotic & hormone free*
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 cup pizza sauce (homemade or store bought – no sugar added) – organic & clean ingredients*
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon chill flakes
  • sea salt and pepper, to taste
  • 3 eggs, whisked
  • (optional: add anything you like with pizza: veggies, mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, etc)
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Place spaghetti squash cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the skin of the squash becomes slightly soft and you can puncture it with a fork. Remove squash from oven and reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.
  3. Remove threads from squash (using a fork, scrap down the squash to form spaghetti) and place in an 8ร—8 greased baking dish.
  4. Place a large pan over medium heat. Add italian sausage and onion. Break sausage up into pieces and cook until pink no longer remains.
  5. Add pizza sauce, dried herbs and spices and salt and pepper to the pan and mix well.
  6. Add sausage mixture to the 8ร—8 baking dish and mix well with spaghetti squash threads.
  7. Lastly, add whisked eggs to the baking dish and mix everything together well, until you can no longer see the eggs.
  8. Place in oven and bake for 1 hour or until the top of the mixture forms a slight crust. It will look as though the top layer is covered with cheese!
  9. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  10. Optional – feel free to top with shredded mozzarella or chopped fresh basil.

Enjoy!

Guaranteed you’ll go back for secondsโ€ฆand thirds ๐Ÿ˜‰

To your Good Health & Abundance,

Samantha xoxo

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Perfectly Pear Smoothie

I’ll be the first to admit itโ€ฆ.

When it’s this cold outside (-10!), it’s difficult for me to reach into the fridge and grab some greens!

I do it anywaysโ€ฆas eating my greens is super important for feeling incredibly vibrant, but I definitely need to talk myself into whipping up a large salad, or a cold smoothie.

Smoothies and salads are great during the summer months to keep us cool and fuelled!

During the winter, you just need to get a little creative with your greens.

As you know, I’m an avid smoothie drinker and like to think of myself as the Queen of smoothies.

So here’s a simple smoothie recipe that is perfect for the cold winter months.

It contains a mix of ‘warming’ spices that help to heat your internal body temperature while still offering you a whopping dose of minerals and antioxidants from ‘cold’ greens!

Ginger and cinnamon are amazing spices to add to your smoothies as they help to fire up your digestive juices, plus they offer a ton of antioxidants and help to support the health of your liver!

Here’s the recipe…

Ingredients:

2 cups spring water 
1 cup coconut water
half a pear
half a banana
half a kiwi
juice of half a lemon

large handful of spinach
2 tsp spirulina (Giddy Yoyo makes a great one!)
1 tsp ground or fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp chia seeds
2 tbsp hemp seeds
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional, but great to add if this is for breakfast to help keep you full)

Blend all ingredients together in a high speed blender. 

Drink  & Enjoy!

To Your Health & Abundance,
Samantha ๐Ÿ™‚

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Happy Halloween! Cinnamon Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Happy Halloween!

How more fitting to celebrate this super fun day then to make recipes full of pumpkins!

I absolutely LOVE pumpkins! From pie, to smoothies, to pancakes and even lattes…..I’ve been whipping up pumpkin recipes like no tomorrow!

I think I may have to stock pile cans of organic pumpkin puree just so I can continue to make delicious recipes this season!

This smoothie recipe have become a staple in my morning routine. Delicious, easy to make and nourishing!

Pumpkin is incredibly rich in beta carotene – a super nutrient that converts to vitamin A. This incredible vitamin helps boost your immune system, is heart protective and is essential for eye health.

In just 1 cup of pureed pumpkin (organic of course!), you get a whooping 7 grams of fibre and 3 grams of protein. Plus, its really low cal (if you’re into that whole calorie counting thing….me…not so much!). This makes it a perfect addition to your morning smoothies! Protein + fibre = a happy and full tummy!

I’ve added some extra key ingredients to my pumpkin smoothie, such as additional protein for the extra fullness factor, immune support and beautiful lean muscle building benefits. Can’t go wrong with a little extra protein! ๐Ÿ™‚

Some extra fruit and blood sugar balancing cinnamon gave this smoothie the perfect sweetness!

 

Image 6

Also, take a look at the pumpkins we carved this year! Every year my boyfriend and I get together with his sisters and we have a pumpkin carving contest! I won this year! Yay! I carved BANE (villain from Batman) and it was a winner! Thought he would make the perfect Halloween Villain!

Image 3

Happy Carving!

Health & Abundance,
Samantha

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Gluten Free Vanilla Pumpkin Protein Bars

The days of reaching for an afternoon sweet treat, loaded with unhealthy fat and sugar are long over! In my high school days I considered a special K bar to be ‘healthy.’ I mean, only 110 calories, how could I go wrong? Oh boy was I wrong! Grabbing one of those chemically manufactured nutrient less bars only spiked my blood sugar and made me a little loopy at 3pm. Not a pretty sight when your a hormone ranging 16 year old! Now, I reach for real food. Like a salad, or fresh fruit with raw almond butter, or a green veggie juice; organic, fresh and homemade! But what about the calories? What about them? I’m eating REAL ORGANIC WHOLE FOODS, calories got nothing on me ๐Ÿ˜‰

A few weeks ago I came across these pumpkin bars in Oxygen magazine. Being the savvy nutritionist that I am, I decided to change up a few ingredients and turn these bars into a powerhouse nutrient dense afternoon goodie that will have your tummy saying thank you! Also, my sweet man was heading off to a snowboarding trip and I couldn’t resist baking up something full of goodness to fuel his long flight. He called me once he arrived and told me his friend loved my bars! I was jumping for joy when I heard that ๐Ÿ™‚

IMG_3689Why are these bars a powerhouse? They contain antioxidant rich pumpkin! Pumpkin is loaded carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, all of which help to protect your eyes and prevent the formation of cataracts. Pumpkin also contains high amounts of vitamin A and C, both of which help keep your skin supple and improve immunity. You’ll notice this recipe also contains pumpkin seeds. These little green gems contains 7 grams of protein per 1 ounce serving, plus they are high in zinc which keeps your immunity strong! Let’s not forget the essential fatty acid content of these little seeds – great for inflammatory issues, cancer prevention and heart health.

So without further adieu…..

Vanilla Pumpkin Protein Bars!

Ingredients:

3 scoops New Zealand vanilla whey protein powder (I’m sure vanilla brown rice protein would work too!)
1 1/2 cups wheat free rolled oats
1/4 cup dried cherries

1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup egg whites
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp ground vanilla bean
1-2 tbsp maple syrup
3 tbsp raw honey
2 packets stevia (optional – if you prefer a little added sweetness)
1 tbsp hemp seeds (for topping)

IMG_3697

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Mix all ingredients together, except hemp seeds, in a large bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.

3. Lightly oil an 8×8 inch baking dish with coconut oil or line with parchment paper.

4. Press ingredients evenly into dish.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting. Sprinkle with hemp seeds while still warm.

Enjoy!

Happy Baking!
Health & Abundance,
Samantha ๐Ÿ™‚

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