First Post - Banana Berry Smoothie

Well, I had just about given up blogging. The last semester I had in school was really rough on me. I gave up just about everything. On my Facebook account, I use to post lots of news each day. I became so overwhelmed that I almost deleted my entire account, but instead I deleted over 900 friends so that I could keep up with the closest ones that I have. I posted on my blog at least ever two or three days. I just got burnt out on everything. On top of keeping up with my Facebook and my blog, and my studies, we also redecorated (painted and changed everything but the floor), so you can see how overwhelmed I became. I am still not rested, and school starts back soon, however, a few people have come to me and told me what an inspiration I have been to them in their eating habits. One sweet friend came to me yesterday and asked me so nicely to begin posting again. How can I refuse? I love this lady to death. I may not post every day or even every three days, because I don't want to be overwhelmed like I was, but I have decided to post again. This time, however, I don't plan on putting any cooked foods here. This year I am going to try to go as raw as I possibly can stand, and I don't need to encourage myself to eat more cooked my posting it here. My purpose is to eat healthier and to encourage other people to do the same, so don't look for anything cooked here, although I won't be eating as much raw until sometime later this month or early next month, when my finances improve just a little bit. I can't wait though. My body is craving raw!

Before I officially begin with my post, I would like to say that with a new year, though I firmly believe the Gregorian calendar is a pagan one, I do use it for a timer, so with the beginning of the new year, comes a new beginning - this new blog. I asked my husband what would be a good name for it, and he teases me all the time about how I like to eat twigs and dry leaves, hence the new name.

After all this ado, here is the recipe my sweet friend asked for. This is my favorite smoothie. Sometimes it varies... if I have more berries I like to add them. I like to keep raspberries, but I don't have any at the minute. Sometimes I don't have the spinach, or I forget to put the flax seeds, but for the most part, this is how I like this smoothie.

First, I take about a tablespoon of flax seeds and I grind them up in a coffee grinder. Normally, one would just throw them in with the entire smoothie contents, but my husband is allergic to flax seeds, so I have to keep them separate in mine. I really like flax seeds because they are good for inflammation in the body.

I set these to the side.

Then I gather three bananas, about 5 or 6 strawberries, a small handful of blueberries, and a generous helping of fresh spinach.

I keep my berries frozen, because they tend to spoil so fast, so I put the softer things in the blender first and the frozen berries on top. I do this because I use the puree setting on the blender to blend the bananas and spinach, then use the ice breaker setting to do the berries, then put it back on the puree setting again for one final go.

As far as the water goes, I use filtered water, and I don't measure it... I just add enough to get the food to blend. This is filtered, but I keep it in this Poland Springs bottle.

After it's all blended I pour it out into glasses, and pour my flax seeds on top (of my half)...

and simply take a spoon and stir them in.

It makes two 16 ounce glasses, and keeps me full for hours. This is normally all that I have (if I don't have stuff for smoothies, then I just have a banana) until supper, which is at around twelve hours away.

Approximate calories in the smoothie: 432 (that's 216 per glass)

Calories in a McDonald's chicken biscuit: 410 as per this report.

The chicken biscuit will leave you hungry in just an hour or two because the carbohydrates will make your blood glucose go up and then drop, where as the fruits and vegetables keep your blood glucose level, and they are full of fiber.

Blessings,
Kimberly