super green smoothie

Howdy from Ohio!

I’m back east this week visiting my family which hasn’t happened since June.  It’s been way too long.  I’m soaking up every single minute and loving it.

A few days before leaving I upped my intake of fruits + veggies in hopes of staying healthy while at home.  My vegetable consumption has been at an all-time high the past few weeks but now even more so.  I just can’t get enough.

Don’t worry though, I’m balancing it with things like orange honey corn cake which I ate the entire pan of last week.  As soon as I got home I made another batch for my[self] family.

One quick and easy way to get a huge helping of fruits + veggies is in smoothies. But you knew that already.  However, I find myself making the same two smoothies time and time again.  I was due for a change.  Something super green and banana-less!

I know there are quite a few banana haters out there and most smoothies include banana for a silky smooth texture, sweetness, and flavor.  For this combination I used avocado to create a smooth and thick texture, and pear, green apple, and kiwi for sweetness and flavor.  Kale is thrown in for the veggie punch but is undetectable alongside the fruit.

Print this!

Super Green Smoothie

vegan, gluten-free // serves 2

• 3 cups green kale, stemmed + chopped
• 2 kiwi, skins removed
• 2 green apples, cored + chopped
• 1 bartlett pear, cored + chopped
• 1/3 avocado
• 1- 1 1/2 cups ice
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1. Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth.  Add more milk if needed to reach desired consistency. 

notes: Use ripe fruit for the maximum flavor and sweetness.  Use any type of milk.  If desired, add honey, agave, or soaked dates for more sweetness.  I keep the peels on the apple and pear but scoop out the fruit from the kiwi.  Peel all fruit if desired.

If you don’t have a juicer, are in a smoothie rut, and/or don’t like banana in your smoothie this is the drink for you!  Super green smoothie to the rescue! 

Hope you all had a nice weekend.

Ashley

You still have a few more hours to enter the Love Grown Foods HOT OATS giveaway!  The winner will be announced on Facebook Monday morning.  Thanks for all who entered.  Your comments have been absolutely fantastic.  I have enjoyed reading each and every one and have gained so much hope and inspiration for this year because of all of YOU!  Thank you!

coconut shell fruit popsicles

Ummm, it was 85 degrees here today.

It’s been in the 60’s + 70’s for the past month and a half.

There have been no spring snowstorms.

Something weird is going on around here. 

So let’s celebrate with popsicles. 

Because? 

I’m melllltiiiing!

Ohhh popsicle mold, how you have been neglected.

Until today and the rest of the summer.

Because this isn’t spring, it’s summer.

And the heat makes me crave fruit like no other.  And the dryness in Colorado makes me feel like I’ve been chewing on cotton balls.

So, instead of using straight juice with the sliced fruit I mixed in Vita Coco Coconut Water for extra hydration. 

And don’t think I’m crazy, but for long bike rides [or runs, swims, etc.] I notice a positive difference in how I feel overall when drinking a 50/50 coconut water + plain water mixture, in comparison to 100% water.  It’s rare that I buy coconut water [pricey!], but Vita Coco was nice enough to send me a few samples.  Instead of just gulping them down I wanted to use them in a recipe.

But don’t worry, you don’t have to use it in the mix.  I’ll include a few variations at the end of the recipe.

In a sea of sale-priced green pineapples, I found one glistening, ripe pineapple just waiting to be snatched up.

I have major issues when cutting pineapples.  Not with the actual process but with the fact that I can’t help but eat half of it along the way.  Luckily, I was able to save some for the point of today’s post.

Oh yeah, and like the post title mentioned these are covered in a coconut shell.

I’ve been a little coconut happy lately.  Don’t expect that to change anytime soon.

Feel free to go at this guy with your teeth or a spoon.

The shell crunches off when bitten just like popsicles covered in a chocolate shell.  But who needs chocolate when you have coconut?

Okay, I guess I still do but just not today.

Print this!

Coconut Shell Fruit Popsicles

yields ~4

*This recipe is slightly vague, as a lot of the measurements will vary depending on the size of your molds and how many popsicles you make.

• 100% fruit juice, no sugar added [peach, white grape, pineapple, etc.]
• coconut water
• 2 kiwis, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup pineapple, thinly sliced
• 2 Tablespoons coconut butter
• 2 Tablespoons unrefined extra virgin coconut oil

1. Place as much fruit into the molds as you want.  I packed them to the top, but did not tightly pack.
2. Pour in half coconut water + half juice.
3. Freeze until solid.
4. While freezing, melt the coconut butter + coconut oil in a pan over low heat and stir until smooth.  Pour into a bowl.
5. Let cool before pouring on the popsicles, but not to the point where it turns back to solid [~75 degrees].
6. Take the molds out of the freezer and let sit until you are able to slide them out.
7. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. Release the popsicles from the molds, and using a spoon and/or tipping the bowl around, drip the coconut mixture over the popsicle.  It should start to set immediately.
9. Place on the parchment, then repeat and place in the freezer for just a few minutes before eating.

notes:

• If biting into frozen fruit is too hard on your teeth, blend the mixture until smooth and pour that into the molds.  Top with the same melted coconut mixture after they’re frozen.
• You can use all juice, instead of the coconut water/juice mixture.  They will be slightly sweeter.
• I used a mixture of coconut butter + oil, to produce a nice smooth coating.  Feel free to use 100% coconut butter, or coconut oil.  They will both work.  Coconut butter will add a richer coconut flavor.

Bring it summer!

Ashley