Monthly Archives: November 2015

No Thank You, I’m Having a Smoothie…

Posted in Health and Fitness, Holidays, Recipes, Uncategorized by

…Because my pants don’t fit. Because what I really want is pumpkin pie. Because I haven’t eaten anything green for five days. Because I haven’t really felt hungry since before Thanksgiving. Oh, the shame!
With the weather turning colder I thought I might want a break from smoothies, but…without a healthy green smoothie to start my day I kinda fall apart (nutrition wise). Here is a smoothie adapted from Green Thickies. Just like most recipes, I don’t have all the stuff that goes into her smoothie, so I do what I can. Usually I eat pears, if I can wrestle them from my husband or oldest kid, but I have been buying pears with a purpose lately. Yeah! I had a ripe pear that no one knew about and into the smoothie it went. If your pears are small you might want to add two.

 

Pear and Apple Smoothie

1 cup non-dairy milk
1 cup apple cider (cold pressed, not clear apple juice or the alcoholic kind, unless you roll that way)
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup dates
1/4 cup hemp protein powder
2 cups spinach or other baby greens
1 apple, cored
1 pear, cored
1 banana
1 pinch pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg
splash of vanilla

Blend milk, cider, oats and dates. Then blend in protein powder and greens. Add fruit, spices and vanilla, blend until smooth.

I find I have to do T-Tapp right before I drink my smoothie so I don’t get too cold.

Life changes

Posted in Hair by

This weekend I have been contemplating changes. Maybe it’s just the change if the seasons or maybe I spent too much time online. I am contemplating being a curly girl. Big decision. Well, I didn’t really decide, I mean God gave me curly hair, but I haven’t ever embraced being curly. Once in a while I wear my hair curly, but for the most part, I blow dry it, or flatiron it or use hot rollers. I have thought about going curly several times, I buy curly shampoo and products, try it for one day and then go back to denying my natural texture. Why is it so difficult to admit that I have textured hair? Why am I nervous about this lifestyle? It is a lifestyle. I read the Curly Girl Handbook and it is a change of lifestyle. Can I give up my hairdryer? My flatiron? My hot rollers? What about running my fingers through my silky mane? OK, so I don’t really do that, but if my hair is curly I won’t be able to do that. Not able! If I touch my dry hair it will disrupt the curl pattern and I will turn into a fuzz ball! I’m not good with commitment. At least not committing to anything permanent regarding my appearance. Apparently embracing natural curls is more of a commitment than a perm. If you ever crack and blow out your hair it will take years for your curls to recover. Maybe it was weeks, but still, a long time. I think that is what makes me nervous. I change my hair color pretty often. I have been everything from black to platinum to cherry red, I’m not afraid of change, I’m afraid of the same.

I have already broken several important curly girl rules today. I haven’t used shampoo with sulfates since college, but I am changing my hair from red to brown and used Goldwell Color Remover (love it), but one of the main ingredients is a sulfate. Sulfates are a no-no for curlies. Also, I’m not supposed to cut my hair wet. I cut the length off yesterday when it was dry, but I couldn’t get the layers right, so after I used sulfates and shampoo oh, and I used conditioner that has some kind of ‘cone in it (also a no-no) I combed my hair (no-no) and cut it wet. I cannot be the poster child for the curly girl method. (Just so you know, I am a trained cosmetologist and do not condone cutting one’s own hair.) Well, it will be a process. Right? This will be like any other lifestyle change. I’ll have some set backs and some adjustments, but I’ve made up my mind to live as a curly girl.

Natural waves. oh my!

Natural waves. oh my!

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Blow dry and flatiron

Green Oats

Posted in Health and Fitness, Menus, Recipes, Uncategorized by

It is too cold for a smoothie this morning. I want something hot and hearty. My tastes have changed as I have aged, I don’t like white, processed grains any more. They taste stodgy. Do you know what I mean? Like glue or wallpaper paste. White bread or pasta, white rice, blech. So, if you still like Wonder bread toast with Skippy peanut butter, don’t try these oats because you probably won’t like them. (Try these ones instead, Butterscotch Oats) My husband would laugh if I tried to give him this for breakfast.

Green Oats

1/3 cup quick oats (old fashioned oats pulsed in the food processor)
2/3 cup almond milk or coconut
Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes in the microwave.
Dash of salt
2 tablespoons hemp protein powder
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1-2 drops maple flavor (optional)
Optional toppings:
Handful of walnuts
1 tablespoon coconut
Dried fruit
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Doesn’t that look healthy? Yes, yes it does.

So, now that I put hemp in my oatmeal, I’m wondering what else I could hide in there. Spirulina? Powdered spinach? Hmmm…maybe.