Green-ish Smoothie

This summer, I've been on a smoothie kick.



It's definitely part of the eating-healthier movement in our home, and let me tell you, I can think of few better ways to start your day than with a nutrient-rich green smoothie!

There are a million and one recipes out there for green smoothies, detoxifying smoothies, smoothies that will diminish bloat and clear your skin...my favorite is pretty basic, and pretty well-rounded.



I like to start with a heaping handful of organic baby spinach for the green part. I've tried kale in the distant past, but the texture and bitterness were too much for me. Spinach is also full of vitamins and calcium, and it's very mildly flavored.



Dan and I vary at this point, but since this is my blog post I'm sharing my favorite combination. So there.



After the spinach, I add a heaping teaspoon of plain greek yogurt, a 1-2 inch chunk of frozen banana (fresh works too, but we have a hard time eating all the bananas exactly when they are ripe, so a few inevitably wind up in the freezer), and fruit. My current favorite is strawberries and mango--full of antioxidants, vitamin C, and also deliciousness.

 Because, let's face it--if this smoothie wasn't tasty, it wouldn't on my daily menu.



Here is where it will vary a little bit for you. Dan and I have a NutriBullet, one of my very favorite kitchen appliances. Dan bought it kind of on a whim, and it was an excellent whim. I use that NutriBullet to make smoothies, grind coffee beans, puree soups, and more. It's awesome, and has a very small footprint, which is very important in my small kitchen. Anyway, because the NutriBullet cups are for people who don't like to measure, they have a "max fill" line. You can pack solid ingredients in above that max fill line IF you add some liquid up to the line.

I fill the cup to the Max Fill line with half unsweetened coconut milk, and half water. If your blender doesn't have a measuring line like this, you might have to experiment with exactly how much liquid to use.



Blend away!

Sometimes I like to shake it up by adding other fruits--blueberries, peaches, pineapple--depending on what we have in the kitchen. But, spinach + yogurt + banana + strawberries + mango + liquid is my go-to formula.



You should note that the shade of green will vary depending on the exact ratio of fruit to spinach. If you really wanted to go nuts you could easily add other green foods--cucumber, chard, even celery. Fewer blue and purple shaded fruits (usually berries) will mean a brighter green, which is important to some people. I personally don't mind a slightly muddied color, it still tastes great.

The reasons this is awesome? You get a huge hit of nutrients right away in the morning, it's quite filling, and it takes about 5 minutes start-to-finish (including cleanup). I like to add a hardboiled egg for a little extra protein and call it breakfast.



Do you like smoothies? Do you have a go-to method of getting some extra nutrients in your day?

Not-So-Dirty Hippie: Update

I realized that I never updated you guys about my bath and beauty products! My bad.



A few months ago I mentioned that I've been swapping out "conventional" brands for more natural products--you know, since it's stuff I slather on my skin and hair and it makes sense to me to minimize the amount of chemicals seeping through my pores on a given day.



At last mention, I'd picked up some shampoo, conditioner, and bar soap from Trader Joe's.

I still love the conditioner, and Dan has actually started using and loving the bar soap. He still struggles with acne and oily skin, and the bar soap is drying without being harsh (which means I use it in the summer when I'm not struggling with dry skin as much). I can't use the soap on a daily basis because my skin is already dry, but I use it every so often because it's gentle and cheap.


On the other days, I actually use the shampoo as body wash because I love the tea tree oil and other great ingredients, and it leaves my skin feeling soft without feeling greasy.



My hair, however...is a whole other story.



I have thick, somewhat curly hair. It used to be super curly, but as I've gotten older the curls have softened. It has, however, always been dry. A friend suggested this crazy notion--using an apple cider vinegar wash instead of shampoo.



Whaaaaa?!



Yes.



So, I take an empty bottle (in my case, a finished bottle of TJ's conditioner 'cause I'm classy like that) and fill it about a quarter of the way with apple cider vinegar. Fill up the rest of the bottle with water. Rinse hair with the wash, then with plain water. (For about five minutes, since I now smell like apple cider vinegar.)



You guys, this has done wonders for me. I've had pretty bad dandruff since I was a teenager (I know, gross) and for the first time in over ten years, I have a healthy scalp. It's incredible. Plus, the ACV wash leaves my hair soft and super clean and shiny.



After my non-shampoo, I like to brush a little coconut oil into my hair in place of conditioner. Go easy on this part. A little goes a very long way.



I do this treatment (ACV + coconut oil) about once a week, and just use Trader Joe's conditioner every other day.



.....so, you be the judge. Does this make me a dirty hippie, or just a hippie?

Not-So-Dirty Hippie

Over the past 6-8 months or so, I've been slowly swapping out a lot of my body and beauty care products for more natural stuff. My husband calls this becoming "hippie-dippy."


I prefer to think of it as taking care of myself.



Whatever floats your boat.



So far, I've incorporated a homemade sugar scrub (which leaves my skin super soft and happy), Simple brand facial wash, and Say Yes to Carrots body butter. All of these things have fewer (or no) chemicals, and are way easier on my skin. And, pleasant surprise? Most of them aren't much harder on my wallet than the "normal" stuff.



Anyway, one of my newest swaps is for some sulfate-free, natural-product laden shampoo, conditioner, and soap.

I got these bad boys from Trader Joe's, and they were surprisingly affordable. I have pretty bad dandruff (especially in the winter) and the tea-tree oil is supposed to handle that. I've been using the conditioner for a few days now and I love it, but I'll keep you updated as I use these. After just one use,  I love the smell and the softness of my skin and hair.



Hippie-dippies, unite!