Do You Kale?? My Kale Smoothie Recipe

Don't judge the food photos. Food photography is difficult stuff! Ha! Okay, so you've heard of Kale, right?  What about the health benefits?  Kale is low in calories, high in fiber, and has no fat! How great is that?  Kale is also full of antioxidants which help protect us from cancer. I started drinking Kale shakes after I read Dave Asprey's Article: The Kale Shake is Awesome - So Updgrade It.  Good information there so have a look.. I don't consume kale everyday, but try to incorporate it at least 3 times a week.  Also, if you have thyroid problems, it wouldn't hurt to steam your kale, and then freeze it to reduce the oxalic levels from the raw kale. Some folks steam it, puree it, and freeze the kale in ice cube trays so it's ready to use. Kale can be goitrogenic to those with thyroid problems if consumed in high quantities since kale is from brassica family. I love the kale recipe listed below because it contains foods that are alkaline which are great for our body as often times we eat a high acidic diet. Alkaline foods help your body maintain a healthy blood pH.  The smoothie also contains avocado which is a fantastic source of our healthy fats. And just in case you're wondering, you can't taste the avocado at all.  It really helps create the smooth texture we're looking for in our smoothie.

Now on to the recipe...

1 cucumber

1 juice of a lemon

1 avocado

1 pear

2 cups of dino kale (stems removed, I eyeball the 2 cups amount)

8 oz of water

(Yield: Approx 32 oz, enough for two people or two smoothies)

Calorie Count: 404, Nutritional data pulled from : nutritionaldata.self.com

We recently purchased a Ninja blender, but I have found others have been able to use their regular ol' blender they have stored in the cabinet.  You will know if your blender works best for you depending on how smooth you want your smoothie, and if it will hold the volume of ingredients listed in the recipe. First thing I do is add the water to the blender.  Then add the juice of a lemon.  And then I slice the cucumber in half, and then take those halves and quarter them like below and then add them to the blender.

Then I chop up the pear.  Self explanatory I think.  Right?  Just make sure you cut out the core, seeds and stem.  Then move on to the avocado and remove the seed.  Scoop the halves into the blender. Your blender should look like something like this.

Now on to the kale.  I do not like the thick stem in the middle of the kale leaves.  You can certainly leave them intact, but I choose not to as I would imagine they would be hard on the digestive system.

Here's a kale leaf.

I fold the leaf in half, and take my knife and slice the stem off all the way across. 

I do this until I have a thick handful, and then I stuff the blender.

I blend it for about 30 seconds.  Maybe longer if the kale needs more time to reach the blades.

All finished.  The entire process takes me about 10 minutes. The jars are Ball Pint and Half Jars.  They hold 24 oz each.  I'm estimating the yield at 32 oz total.  Try it out.  We love the shakes with pears, but if it's too "green tasting" to you, try adding a banana or any additional fruit of your choice. 

P.S. We have been known to make a batch the night before to take to work the next day, and they still taste great. Let me know what you think! 

Exhilarating Goal Setting

"Set a goal to achieve something that is so big, so exhilarating that it excites you and scares you at the same time.  It must be a goal that is so appealing, so much in line with your spiritual core, that you can't get it out of your mind.  If you do not get chills when you set a goal, you're not setting big enough goals." - Bob Proctor

After weeks of training, I found myself 50 feet from the starting line. I waited for the gunshot start to go off.  This was it.  I was about to come face to face with a goal I had set for myself only a few weeks prior. I wanted to run a 10K. (6.2 miles).  I am not an experienced runner by any means.  I've only ran two other races, and they were 5K races.  When I decided to start training, 6.2 miles seemed so far out of reach.  By the end of the third week,  I reached my last "long run" before the race at 5 miles.  While standing at the starting line, I had so many feelings going through my mind. My morning had not started off ideally.  I woke up later than I anticipated.  I did not have a chance to eat much of a breakfast.  I felt rushed.  Was I really going to be able to run 6.2 miles?  BANG! A rush of calmness came over me, and off I went.  I felt in tune with nature.  My mind no longer wandered.  I was 100% consumed with this goal.  It consumed me, and I was determined to finish it.  Around mile 3, I decided to push my pace.  Around mile 5, I remember having a bit of an emotional release.  Happy that I set this goal, and stuck to it, and sad that I knew the experience was soon coming to an end.  I told myself to suck it up, and enjoy the time I had left.  By mile 6, I could see the finish line. I was exhilarated, and couldn't wait to cross the finish line. My body covered itself in goosebumps as I became closer to the end of my journey.  I heard people cheering, and took one of my earbuds out of my ear.  The sounds of clapping, and yelling warmed my heart.  As I took my last few steps while I crossed the finish line, I felt pure accomplishment.  Success! I did it! Not only that but I estimated my time to be 1 hour and 15 minutes.  I actually finished at 1 hour and 7 minutes.  Whaaaaat???! No way!

What I learned from running the 10K is that I really can accomplish anything if I set my mind to it.  Now, I've set myself another target that has me intimidated and exhilarated! I am planning to run a half marathon this fall. Crazy, huh? You know what's even crazier? I'm getting married the week after the half. That will be one busy month! But I want to do it. My mind is set! :)

 I want you to establish a goal for yourself.  Something so magnificent, people won't think you can do it.  Then do it! What does that goal look like for you? Do you want to start a business? Do it! Do you want to go rock climbing?  Do it! A little background on my 10K goal. I am a novice runner.  I had 3 weeks to prepare for the race. My very first run was 3 miles. I had to stop and walk many times during the 3 miles. My final training run was 5.0 miles, and I didn't walk at all. You can do anything! Go do it! Life is short. What is something you've always wanted to do, but have never tried?  I'd love to hear about it!

Date Nights on the Cheap 5/29/13

Dates can be expensive.  Let's be realistic for a moment.
Dinner at a sit-down restaurant and a movie = easily $50.00. Am I right?

Every Wednesday, I'll be bringing you an inexpensive date night idea in an effort to save you some moolah. Today's cheap date idea: Visit your local bookstore.  Do you have a Barnes & Nobles in your area?  Take advantage! Not only do you have access to all the latest and greatest books and magazines, but it costs you NOTHING to visit the store. Find a couch or table and cozy up together with a few books and relax.  If you're feeling the urge to splurge, consider ordering a cup of joe.  Now, if your guy isn't a big reader, how about making your date competitive?  Take a look at the The Dating Divas: The Book Store Date.  They have the date set up like a scavenger hunt.  You can either work individually and meet up after you feverishly complete the tasks (j/k), or work on it together. Don't forget to print out the materials prior to your date! So cute, and fun!

What are your cheap date night ideas?
I'd love to feature them in a post!

What Really Makes You Happy?

Seems simple enough, right? RIGHT! But, we don't do it!  Why?  Because we don't make the time for it. I don't think our intent is to book ourselves solid everyday, but sure enough it turns into our daily grind.  My suggestion to you is to block out 30 minutes everyday to do more of what makes you happy.  Start this ASAP.  Find time in the day that works best for you. If you're an early bird, consider waking up 30 minutes earlier.  Use your lunch break if you have a hour break.  Or, if you're like me, squeeze it in after work. I want you to use this time to do whatever it is that makes you happy.  For me, this entails a run with the sun beaming down on me, the birds singing, the trees swaying in the wind, and the feeling of my feet hitting the pavement.  Pure bliss. Now, if after work is too chaotic for you, wait until your children are in bed (if you have children), or wait until you start your bedtime routine, and find your "me" time then. I have also been known to lose myself in a good book paired with a warm cup of Sleepytime tea. Zzzzz....

Do more! Why? For me, I feel it has helped me find a sense of balance in my life.  Give it a go, and come back and let me know what you think! I'd love to hear! Life is what you make of it!