There’s an extra jig in my step this morning Sunshine!

The shamrock lovin’ folks at Blendtec have added to my pot of gold of prizes for our upcoming St. Patty’s Day 10-Day Green Smoothie Challenge!

If you’ve been trying to draw the last blending breaths out of old Oster, you can dig out ten bucks and sign up for our latest LIVE challenge and find out what you can do to win THIS sassy lassie for FREE!!

Once you discover the difference in having 1560 watts of power versus 400 - 450 watts in a typical household  blender (over three times more powerful!), you’ll discover just how smooooth your green smoothies can be and how much fun they can be to make.  And if you have any doubts about the power of Blendtec blenders, then check out these fun and amazing videos!

I’m introducing a “Lucky Links” St. Patty’s Day Contest, and it’s going to encourage even more people to discover the health and energy of eating simple, natural good ole’ fruits and greens! Each year we try to expand our “green ripple effect”, and this year we’re hoping to send those ripples around the world.

To find out how the contest works and how to enter, all you need to do is sign up for the Challenge! You’ll find out on Day 1, March 17th,  how to get your chance at bringing this baby home and making your other kitchen appliances green with envy!

It’s a do something nice for yourself and others at the same time kinda contest…

Ripple…  Ripple…  Ripple…

The LIVE St. Patty’s Day 10-Day Green Smoothie Challenge

With Smiling Irish Eyes,
xoxo

The Green Smoothie Queen

A wee little anonymous bird dropped this funny little gem off in my inbox this morning…

*giggle*

Now, why didn’t I think of this?

Green Smoothies!!

So yummy. Brought two with me to work today, so easy to just sip on it while I’m working.

Though, they do make me have to pee quite often at work, heh.  Luckily I have two different hallway paths to the bathroom so I can alternate.   ;-P  And, I’m perpetually shivering at my desk like I’m in my own private snowglobe.   ;)   Maybe that will be good for summer.   For now I’m wearing mittens at my desk.   Sorpy it makes it hArd to typp.

I’m constantly cleaning up little smoothie spills and dribbles etc. with the kleenex box by my desk, and today it occurred to me that when the janitor empties my trash at night, he might see all these kleenexes with green gloop and think it’s snot, LOL.   Hey there you go, if you ever need to stay home from work, you could always “sneeze up” a green smoothie.  I don’t think anyone would object to you leaving.  

Behind every great woman there are about three or four other great women. Since before the history books were written, women have come together to share wisdom, support and even resources.

And while modern life and luxuries may have eliminated many of our needs for support, no amount of technological “advances” can take away from our need to connect, share, and inspire one another. In fact, it’s quite the opposite:

In celebration of International Women’s Day, the biggest WISH there’s ever been is coming true. On March 8, 2010, women from all around the globe are invited to attend W.I.S.H., the Women’s International Summit for Health - a series of free on-line interviews with leading health and wellness experts who answer the most pressing questions faced by women today.

http://www.wishsummit.com/

For 10 days, thousands of women will come together to hear the stories and share the wisdom of a star-studded list of 40 speakers. Exploring the subjects of sensuality, spirit, food, and relationships as much as fitness, beauty, health, money, attitude and family.

Whether it’s the kids, the cellulite, the hot flashes or steamy romances, W.I.S.H. brings women together to find the solutions and to recharge their batteries.

Register free before March 8, 2010 and join us for the world’s biggest empowerment party EVER!

http://www.wishsummit.com/

Wishfully yours,

The Green Smoothie Queen

Orange Apricot Yum!

By Dr. Debra Tibbitts
(makes about 32 ounces)

Ingredients:

• 3 oranges
• 4 apricots
• 3/4 cup water

Directions:

Blend… and then add:

• 2 large leaves of kale
• 1 handful baby spinach (optional)

Blend again.  This is one of my favorite green smoothies!

I think it’s time for a little inspiration this marvelous Monday morning!  In January, I was thrilled to introduce you to Jessica Mauk.  Jessica is a green gal after my own leafy heart.  She’s really stepping up to the plate this year and is taking on 365 days of green smoothies!

Each month, she’s going to share with us a little update about her progress and what she’s learned, so here to tell you more is the fearless chlorophyll challenger herself.  And if you like the idea of green smoothies, but just can’t see yourself doing 365 days just yet, then perhaps our upcoming 10-Day Challenge will be more to your liking!  It’s a live challenge starting on St. Patrick’s Day, so order yourself a green jug now and get ready to chug down some shamrocks!

- by Jessica Mauk

Hello everyone!  I now have two months under my belt in my 365 days of smoothies challenge.  I can not wait for spring to hit as I’m getting a little tired of frozen fruit and I’m longing for all of those luxurious greens that are so abundant at our local farmer’s market each year.

So, in addition to this new supply of energy that I’ve found, what are a few things that I’ve learned or noticed in my two months of drinking a quart a day?  My fingernails are growing like weeds, green weeds!  I’ve never had strong or long nails in my life.  They always split and tear as soon as they eek out just slightly above my fingertip.  Now, I actually have to file them back a bit.  I’ve also noticed that if I drink a green smoothie about an hour or so before bedtime I sleep so much more soundly and I wake up refreshed and ready to tackle my day.  I can honestly say, after only two months of my challenge I will never go back to a S.A.D again.

I have found heaven on earth and it’s green!

To read more about Jessica’s challenge and her year of green smoothies, please visit her blog: http://365smoothies.blogspot.com/

What a fun week!  Blenders were loved, smoothies were drank, and health was shared!

And speaking of sharing, I’m going to send you a couple really fun things for you to enjoy ‘just because’ today!

The first is a letter from Mary I wish I’d written myself! I could use Merry Mary outside my castle! 

I’m takin’ over the world…one green smoothie at a time…
Anyone who dares cross my drawbridge gets a green smoothie…

I taught two small adult classes this week…took my blender on the bus…what a fun time!
Next, I’ll be going to a progressive dinner which will begin at my home for appies…bwa ha ha…

I will do three smoothies…red, white, and green… (peeled cucumber for the white one, red Swiss chard for the red, and kale for the green) Each colour will have 5 fruits corresponding to the colours of the veggies mentioned above. There will be a game card where you guess what is in each of the 3 coloured smoothies. The prizes… are you ready for this? …will be bouquets with skewers inside green onions with a dozen radish roses and leaves of kale, romaine and red Swiss chard…yes, I started doing this B4 the Olympics!!!

Love and chlorophyll… OH… punch for St. Paddy’s Day… white (green) grapes, lime juice, kiwis, spinach, etc. with Stevia to make it palatable for the newbies!

Merry Mary

Thank you! Bless you! Love you!

And THESE are a set of photographs that Joan, one of our program participants sent along our way to enjoy!  I loved them soooo much, I had to find out where they came from. So, a little google here, a little giggle there, and voila!  I’m happy to share with you the incredible creative artwork of Carl Warner (those Warners… always the creative ones eh?).  And these photos are just a small taste, so to speak, of his beautiful work.  If you’re hungry for more of these, and you’d like to see the images in their full size and glory, then please visit his website and click on his collection of FOODSCAPES (the pretty teal box on the left!).

Greetings fellow parsley lovers and kale kissers!  The first run of The Queen’s 3-Day Mini-Course finished yesterday, and folks are now spreading the news, inviting their friends, and signing up to be part of the live 10-Day Green Smoothie Challenge that The Queen is releasing for St. Patty’s Day on March 17th.  And while taking part in the program myself,  I’ve been happily sipping green glop and helping the Queen make sure that everything is running, well, smoooothly.

And I’m pleased to let you know about a new page that will be a great addition to The Green Smoothie Queen Website.  As more people complete the 3-Day Mini-Course Green Smoothie Practicum, we’ll be able to post their original green smoothie creations on our new Green Graduates page.  Over time, this will be a great place to come and salivate over free green smoothie recipes!

I foresee many YUMS to come!

And I happened to pop into the Emerald Lounge a few minutes ago, and I saw even more great posts!  I’m so flattered and pleased by the positive response so far!  And I hope all those bodies out there are humming with green energy and optimism!  I myself am on a high that I think involves a lot of gratitude… gratitude that I can spend my days doing work I love and that makes other people feel better and positive.  It’s WIN WIN!!

And though there are dozens of great posts to choose from, I hope you don’t mind if I select a couple from our Day 2 live program to share with you:

My name is Julie. This is my second Green Smoothie class! I LOVE all of the BEAUTIFUL art work on the Green Smoothie Queens/Raw Divas colorful web pages, E-letters and E-books! (Art work is very inspiring!) I find the Queens and Divas to be very enthusiastic, offering such wisdom/logic and encouragement! The Queens and Divas offer SO MUCH information - we simply cannot fail!!! This is a wonderful web site!

Looking forward to joining the group this time around and getting on the Green Smoothie bandwagon full time! I am a Vegan, but would like to drink more Green Smoothies, lose some pounds, and learn more about raw foods.

I made a big “Green” jug up yesterday morning and another jug last night — to be ready and waiting for me this morning!

I had a big glass for breakfast. Then my husband and I left on errands all morning. It was LATE afternoon when we returned home. As soon as we returned home, thinking it would not take long, my husband made a business call to try to straighten out some red tape! He was put on hold for 30 minutes and I know he was very, very hungry by this time! I quick poured him a glass of my Green Smoothie and he commented how refreshing the drink was! He asked for a second glass while he was on hold! …Looks like my husband will now be on the GREEN SMOOTHIE QUEEN’S program with me!

Julie

I’m so glad Julie that you find us as beautiful on the outside as we feel on the inside around here.  And I’m tickled you have your husband receptive to green smoothies!  It’s always just a matter of getting people to try them… really…

Hi, Stephanie here.

Our day 2 smoothie was:

• mesclun, arugula, raddicchio lettuces (1 cup packed)
• 2 stalks of celery
• spinach (3/4 cup frozen, drained)
• 1 carrot
• pineapple (1/2 cup fresh)
• strawberries (3/4 cup frozen we had picked this summer)
• flax (ground, 3-4 Tbsp.)

I had this with the kids around our regular dinnertime, which was great because they were filled up enough that when my husband got home from work I was able to pour him our latest smoothie and my 7-year old was beaming with pride about the creation & couldn’t wait for his Dad to try it. The kids played while we had a chance to chat. Later that night, both boys wanted toast (whole grain) with some of the natural peanut butter we use.

It is hard to find great produce in the northeast during winter, which is why I use frozen veggies, at times, and why we stock up on the fruits we pick during summer and freeze those. Wish we had a Trader Joe’s closer! There are small, independent natural food stores ‘growing’ all around us, but the selection isn’t always great nor is the pricing.

I am enjoying this greatly and moving onto the 10-day challenge. I can see how this small change has the “ripple effect” the Queen speaks of; how it will overflow into other aspects of our life. I was able to reconnect with my husband when he got home. Some nights prior to our new lifestyle, I would’ve been flying around the kitchen, making sure the carnivores had their meat timed to be warm with the starchy side-dish. And, the vegetables would’ve been an afterthought, like, how quick can I throw together a salad before everything cools, or throw some veggie mix in the microwave in a plastic bag (cringe!) just to alleviate my own guilt and be able to say I served something green. (cringe, again!)

I have always liked my greens, but felt outnumbered with what the three guys in my life would expect as a meal and have struggled to get any one of them to like (and eat) the greens they need. The Smoothie Challenge has changed that dynamic and we all are looking much closer as what we eat and are paying attention to our bodies’ needs.

Thank you to all of you that work so hard at Green Smoothie Queen. What a concept! Really give someone something for free and I do believe you are the one that receives in the end. I will do my part to spread “the ripple effect” likewise. And, I agree with the other posts- your graphic design & artwork is inspiring on top of already being wonderful in of itself in concept.

Thanks once again green-team!

Stephanie

Stephanie, I’m grateful to maximize your green ripples by sharing your words and your recipe with our green smoothie community at large.  And you made so many important points.  Sometimes, there are so, so many of us flying around kitchens looking after others it takes a real effort to just step aside from the busy lives that we lead and just give some quiet attention to where we’re at with our lifestyle.  How often do we take the time to just put something in our mouth and savor it for a moment before we consume it?

And when families can decide together what kind of health they want for themselves and their future, it’s very empowering.  We have some great information coming up in the 10-Day Challenge about some great approaches to take with your family and children!  We want to build on the basics and provide more knowledge for you to make the best choices for your circumstances.

Of course, even though this is the last day of our live 3-Day Green Smoothie Mini-Course, the program, my Green Team, and I are all here to stay and we’ll continue to share recipes, testimonials, and answer questions on the blog.  So I hope you’ll spread the word!

Wrapping you in kale hugs and sending cilantro smooches,

Your Grateful Green Smoothie Queen

I love it!

I LOVE IT!

I just returned from our Green Smoothie online community, The Emerald Lounge (all you need to do to become a member is take one of our programs, including the FREE one below), and was looking to see how our participants in the FREE 3-Day Green Smoothie Mini-Course are doing.  As I mentioned to them in the lounge, it’s so wonderful to see carnivores, vegetarians, vegans, and raw foodists all getting along and supporting one another to eat more greens.

We are all at different stages of health and different levels of comfort with making improvements, but here we are… all agreeing that adding more greens (and this is a relative measurement) is a fun and delicious adventure! Some are here to get healthy, some are here to improve health conditions, some want more energy, and many are here to lose weight.  I see so many “stuck-in-a-rut”s and “fell-off-the-wagon”s and “banging-my-head-against-a-wall”s in there.  We’re all so very, very human.  We slide, we give up for awhile, we do things we know we shouldn’t.  Some people are just looking for a kind ole kick in the pants!!

I can trade high heels for boots if I have to!!  But really…the best kick I can give you is to remind you that it all starts with love and self-worth. It’s hard to make improvements  for yourself when all your energy goes into beating yourself up for the things you don’t do.  You only have so much energy each day… how will you choose to use it?  By listening to the voice that knocks you down and makes you feel guilty, or by just going to the fridge and grabbing that bundle of soon-to-be-blended green joy?

I’m so flattered that we have such a keen group of greenies!  Thank you for sending in your stories and goals.  And I hope you’ll stay with us for more green smoothie adventures!

Happy Day 2!