Hello Glorious You,
I’m smiling from ear to ear over here. Today we’re talking about one of my favorite topics, I’m sharing a recipe from my new book (!) and I have a crazy-awesome giveaway for you (!!)…
Ya know I love my green juice. But there’s another biggie in my regular super-drink repertoire that doesn’t get quite the fanfare my juicing habit does: smoothies! In a typical week, I drink almost as many smoothies as juices, so today I wanna shine a light on these blended superstars and hook you up with a chance to win a Vitamix blender!
Why smoothies?
When you go the blended route, you get to pack in a boatload of fruits and veggies like you would for a juice, but you also keep all the fiber—and man oh man, is fiber fabulous! From “sweeping out” excess cholesterol and harmful bacteria to keeping the poop train moving, fiber is most certainly our friend. And although it’s totally possible to keep your juices low-sugar, smoothies are a great choice for people who need to watch their blood sugar—the fiber slows sugar absorption into the bloodstream.
Another marvelous smoothie benefit? You can add ingredients to your drink that your juicer wouldn’t be able to handle, or that just don’t belong in a juice. Sprouts, nut butters, superfood powders? Load it up! And with those added, heartier ingredients, smoothies can even replace snacks or meals. Score!
Alright, so we all agree: Smoothies are incredible and we need more of them in our lives. What’s our first step? Get a blender.
I’m giving away a Vitamix blender!
In celebration of my new book, Crazy Sexy Juice—which is packed with amazingly yummy and nourishing juice, smoothie and nut milk recipes—I’m giving away the ever-popular Vitamix blender! The Vitamix is one of my favorite machines. It’s versatile, powerful and super easy to use. Though a Vitamix can be pricey, there’s another way to get this bad boy onto your counter. It’s called certified reconditioned blenders, and since I’m a thrifty gal myself, I wanted to share the low-down on this awesome alternative—and what better way than to just give you one?!
Now you may be thinking, wait, Kris, you’re giving me a used blender? Like from the back of your closet? Ha! I thought that, too, when I first heard about these models. But here’s the deal: “reconditioned” is almost a misnomer. These aren’t refurbished (or broken) machines; they’re simply returned machines that have undergone an intense inspection as part of the Vitamix Certified Reconditioning process. With a 5-year warranty and No Risk Guarantee, they gotta make sure these blenders are in tip-top shape. Reconditioned Vitamix blenders also come with a brand new container and cookbook package.
I like to think of purchasing reconditioned appliances like adopting pets—there are wonderful blenders out there that need a new home and some love.
Okay, wanna get your hands on one of these fancy-pants machines?
Great—I’m giving away one certified reconditioned standard 5200 Vitamix Blender today!
I love adding mint to my green smoothies – a little pear, mint, spinach – so good!
I like to add kale or spinach to my smoothies. Its such an easy and yummy way to make sure I get my greens!
Berries and greens!
My favorite smoothie ingredient is my homemade cashew milk – creamy and delicious!
Mango!
My favorite ingredient is spinach! I love a green smoothie the best.
My new favorite ingredient is Moringa! It is packed with nutrients, including plant protein and it’s highly energizing for me.
I don’t have a very good blender (which is why I need a Vitamix), but I do have a good juicer. I use my juicer to make green juice ice cubes. I toss the cubes into my smoothies to make it cold and get a little extra green in the mix!
Frozen bananas and strawberries
almond butter!! gives me the protein to get through my morning and also gives my stomach a solid base prior to drinking a cup of coffee when I get to work. 🙂
Leafy greens, spinach or kale, go in every smoothie I make. Can’t taste ’em in most smoothies anyway. Or, a few drops of stevia goes a long way when I have to share smoothies with kids or skeptics 🙂
Frozen Cherries
It totally depends on the smoothie! But I love adding frozen watermelon cubes! It makes a post-workout smoothie extra frothy and refreshing.
Coconut oil!
Frozen bananas & chia seeds & flax seeds! Cacao powder too!
Gotta have me some collard greens!
That smoothie smoothie sounds So good!
My favorite smoothie ingredient is Cauliflower! It is an awesome way to get in an extra veggie without the kids knowing and it is also a great ingredient in our cauliflower smoop…soup you drink!!!! 🙂
My favorite shakes are with Arbonne Chocolate protein, banana and strawberries with flax seed, chia seed and hemp seeds. Sometimes I add cinnamon or honey. With 20 grams of protein that is vegan, soy free, dairy free and gluten free (with no artifical sugars) i look forward to breakfast every morning!
You got me hooked on ginger!