Sunshine Friday

Day #11 and thinking about next week’s smoothie menu…oh, the possibilities!

I’m starting the day with the Green Benevolence Smoothie from Victoria Boutenko’s Green for Life is today’s Spa Skin Cleanse.  It's a tasty blend of romaine, red grapes, banana, orange, and I did 1/2 coconut water and 1/2 Door County Cherry Tea for the liquid.

The Spa Skin Cleanse from Simple Green Smoothies is my lunch, though I hear Dave is doing it in the reverse order.  Really, I just liked the combination of flavors.  If it makes me glow a little more than I already am, I’ll take it – we could use some sunshine around here.  I had a taste last night after filling our bottles and it is delicious!!!  This one may be a regular for us – especially since I know how much we both love pineapple and avocado.

Dinner is going to be leftovers from Wednesday’s Lentil Soup and Indian appetizers dinner.  There’s a good amount of soup and naan left.  I think we’ll get cozy on the couch and pop in a dvd!

As I looked into the fridge and freezer and eyed up the fruit bowl, I’m thinking that there will be some what’s-left-in-the-fridge smoothie making this weekend before we stock up for the next week.

Looking back on this week, I'm really noticing that I'm sleeping very well.  For a while, I couldn't say this.  Now, I fall asleep easily, stay asleep, and find myself waking before my alarm.  I also feel energized throughout the day, am not craving junk food and am seeking out more cleaner foods for my smoothies, daily snack and dinner.  It helps that there's some sun shining right now - and that my pants are looser - thank goodness.

What's This About Smoothies?

Oh, green smoothie happiness…

How did I land here in green smoothie land?

Netflix.  I firmly and completely point my finger to the dvd spouting & streaming mavens at Netflix. 

A few weeks ago, “Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead” was recommended so I added it to my queue and moved it to #1.  It arrived.  I watched.  I was fascinated.

So, I thought I’d be jumping on the juicing bandwagon.  I read up on it, wish listed a few titles on Amazon.com, sought juicer recommendations.

Then a friend recommended I read Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko.  Well, there went juicing and I was onto smoothies.  Truly, this made sense immediately.  I wouldn’t need to buy a new appliance (boo!), it fits my food sensibilities, and is something I could start immediately with what is in my refrigerator and fruit and veggie basket.  Good idea!  I spent quite a bit of time reading through Boutenko’s Raw Family site and that led me to Simple Green Smoothies.

Enter the 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge.  I started on Tuesday, April  9^th.  Today is Day #8.

Last Friday while getting ready to head out for date night dinner and concert with Dave, he asked what the delicious concoction in the cup in the fridge.  Oh my…could he possibly have been talking about the leftover smoothie?  YES!  He was.  He declared, “I can do this!”

If he can do this, I can happily blend away and prepare FOUR QUARTS of happy green smoothie each day.  So, Sunday was the big shopping trip for a week’s – okay, maybe 4-5 days – worth of green smoothie makings.  Oh, that cart was overflowing with greens and fruits and herbs and healthy happiness.  And, after just two days of eating…blending…through all of that, I’m seeing that I will need to head to the store again a little sooner than I had planned. 

This morning’s smoothie was the Berry Protein Blast.  Oh, was that good!  This afternoon we enjoyed the Fat Burning Green Smoothie.  Both were great.  The ginger kick of the Fat Burning Green Smoothie is still with me and I’m looking forward to other smoothies with ginger – one of my favorite produce department secrets.

While the 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge is to have one green smoothie a day, I’m having two quarts of green smoothie each day – breakfast and lunch – and a nice healthy dinner.  Depending on how I feel, I may add in a light snack during the day.  Today, I enjoyed flax crackers with a homemade spread of ricotta, tomatoes, basil and black pepper.  That was a treat.  And on top of all of this, I’m continuing to enjoy lots and lots of water.  LOTS of water. 

After just eight days, I feel great – clear-minded, light, energized.  I don’t crave junk food.  I crave healthy, clean food.  Right now, I’m daydreaming of an avocado.

On another happy and healthy note, it’s been TWENTY MONTHS since I last consumed fast food.  WOW!!!