Posts Tagged ‘cacao’

Green Smoothie Valentine - Be My Green Valentine!

Sunday, February 14th, 2010 by stacey

I’ve been thinking about what I wanted to get you all for Valentine’s Day.  It’s a gift I hope will fill your hearts with more joy, more life, and more enthusiasm.  It’s a gift you’ll definitely be able to share with those you love.  I’m going to keep you in anticipation until tomorrow… (I’m such a tease!) but come back tomorrow m’luv.  For today, enjoy yourself… enjoy the beauty of the day.

Remember, your greatest love is you…

- by Kate Nicholson

Valentine’s Day

Celebrate Love today!

Select your favourite fruits and greens and blend them up.  Add some cacao.  Add some maple syrup.  Add some vanilla.  Add whatever you fancy.

Indulge yourself!  Fill a lovely, elegant glass with your smoothie, put it on a tray with some flowers, and go right back to bed with the Sunday papers.

Later, when you’ve showered and massaged, and dressed in your favourite clothes (the ones that make you feel sexy and feminine), go out for a long walk.  Explore the city if that’s where you live.  Go to a gallery or museum.  Go to the cinema.  Sit in a stylish café with a cup of green tea and a good book.  People-watch.  Be amused by your people-watching.  We’re a funny old species.

If you live in the country, pull on your boots and go for a tramp across the fields.  Sit by a river. Try your hand at painting the scenery.  Who knows, you could surprise yourself with your hidden talent!  Anyway, the point is, do something just for you today.

Make yourself a sumptuous meal this evening.  Light some candles.  Think about inviting love into your life.  Tell yourself over and over how fabulous you are.  Before you go to bed tonight (and every night) say out loud, “I am beautiful, radiant and loving. I attract wonderful people and experiences into my life.”   After all, you gorgeous goddesses of green smoothies, if you don’t love and appreciate yourself, how can you expect anyone else to?

Valentine’s Day kisses to Kate Nicholson for her inspirational Valentine’s Day Week of love and pampering!  Be sure to leave her a comment and send her thanks and hugs!

Ha! Who Needs Prozac?!

Monday, February 1st, 2010 by stacey

- by Kate Nicholson

And still the compliments keep rolling in…My youngest daughter said to me the other day, “It’s so great to talk to you Mum; you’re so full of life and happiness.”  This, about a woman who was quietly, deeply depressed and listless for many, many years while eating the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) way.  Raw has changed my life around. I love raw!

My latest bouncing-with-vitality concoction involves the use of Tahini. And chocolate. The sesame seeds in Tahini contain magnesium, which, according to http://www.whfoods.com, helps to restore normal sleep patterns, particularly in women going through the peri/menopause. The calcium they contain is good for PMS symptoms.

And chocolate! Well, we all know chocolate’s many benefits (in moderation, naturally…). For me, it’s definitely a mood lifter. I sparkle after a teaspoon of raw cacao.

So, it makes sense to me that if I need a natural mood booster, I should put these together in my favourite food format - the green smoothie!  I’d choose a type of green leafy veg that has a mild taste for this smoothie. Pak choi (or Bok Choy, depending on where you live) works well, as does Romaine lettuceHttp://www.sixwise.com has a list of nine uncommon greens, and states that Bok Choy is good for preventing cancer, cataracts and fighting free-radicals, and Romaine supports normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels. So take your pick depending on your taste or family medical history! I tend to stick with Romaine, only because it’s easy to get organic locally.

Now… here’s what you’ve all been waiting for!

The Va-Va-Voom Vitality Booster

  • 1 large or 2 small bananas
  • 2 Tbsp raw Tahini
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 heaped tsp raw cacao powder
  • 1-2 large handfuls of the greens of your choice
  • Agave to taste.

Whizz up in the blender and then prepare to dance your way through the day!

Retrieved January 25, 2010 from: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=84

Retrieved January 25, 2010 from: http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/07/04/04/nine-uncommon-green-leafy-vegetables-worth-trying.htm

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