4th of July Watermelon "Cake"

As the 4th of July is coming up quickly, many of us are thinking of what fun patriotic treats to offer our families or guests as we celebrate our nation's freedom. I got this idea from an article in an All You magazine, but changed a few things to make it more dietary friendly. I also had lots of complications with the original recipe especially in this southern heat, and figured out a few ways to make it MUCH less messy and drippy (melting cream is not fun when trying to make a pretty dish).

If the cream wasn't melting so quickly, I would've made this much prettier,
but as I was rushing against the clock and heat
I just made sure the watermelon was covered.

I followed the original recipe step by step, using different ingredients, and although it was easy to make it was extremely messy and even more messy as I was cutting it. If you are planning on eating this at home and can keep it in the fridge until the very last moment, making it this way would be fine and it is actually really fun looking and pretty. You could even add berries on the top to give it more color and flavor. If you would like to transport this somewhere or will not have room in the fridge to store it, I encourage you to NOT make it this way. I will explain both ways in my directions. It was so delicious and refreshing I will definitely make it again. My hubby even ate it for breakfast this morning because he enjoyed it so much, and my son asked for seconds..and thirds after dinner! He called it "my cake" as he asked for more and more lol. :) One reason I encourage you to try this recipe with the cream is because of the fact that watermelon is high on the glycemic index. The fat in this yummy coconut cream will help to keep your blood sugars stable all while avoiding added sugars and other unhealthy ingredients.

4th of July Watermelon "Cake"
(Can be gluten free, dairy free, nut free, egg free, Vegan, Vegetarian, all-natural, no added sugar, whole foods)
Serves about 6 (use larger watermelon for more servings)

Ingredients

• 1 Mini seedless watermelon
• 1 14 oz can Coconut Cream or full fat coconut milk*
• 1-2 tbs Stevia or other sweetener (optional)
• Berries for the top (optional)

Directions (for whole cake)

The night before...

1. Put a can of unopened coconut cream or full fat coconut milk into the back on the fridge until cold (overnight is best).

The next day...

1. Place coconut cream or the solid part of the coconut milk into a bowl (explained in greater detail in notes below), and add sweetener if desired. 
2. Stir cream until chunks are gone and sweetener is blended into cream.
3. Place whipped cream back into fridge to keep it well chilled and from melting.
4. Slice top and bottom off of the watermelon so that it can sit flat on either side. 
5. Completely cut away the rind, and make watermelon into a pretty cylinder shape.
6. Place watermelon onto a serving plate or stand.
7. "Frost" the watermelon with the chilled whipped coconut cream on all sides and top.
8. Add berries on the top if desired.
9. Place in the fridge until ready to eat. No need to cover.
10. Be careful when cutting to not let watermelon fall creamed side down. It's really messy!!

Directions (for easier transport or if limited room in fridge)

1. Follow steps 1-5 above.
2. Cut watermelon into slices and place on serving plates or a pretty serving platter.
3. "Frost" each individual slice completely and add a few berries on the top if desired.
4. If you have room in the fridge and it will be a while before eating, place the platter in the fridge (this way of storing should take up less room than the whole cake).
5. If transporting put a lifted cover on top of platter and place in a cooler with ice packs to keep cool.

By this point the frosting was starting to melt. Should have kept
the cake in the fridge until time to eat. Wish I would've added
some beautiful bright blueberries on top!

Notes:

*I used a can of Trader Joe's Coconut Cream, so I was able to use the entire can without having to separate the contents. You can also use any full fat coconut milk available at most grocery stores like Walmart and Kroger. Chill unopened can in back of fridge overnight. The next day do not shake can, open can, and dig out all the solid cream which has risen to the top. Save the coconut water in bottom of can for drinking or another recipe. Continue with the recipe above at #1 under the directions. You can also use frozen whipped topping if dairy is not a problem. Do NOT freeze the coconut cream or milk.

The Bright, Colorful, and Happy Salad

Bright, bold colors always catch my eye. If these colors are related to foods, I am drawn to them. If I am eating these beautiful foods, it makes me very happy. I made a salad for my family last week that was not only colorful, flavorful, and fresh, but also full of super foods and ridiculously healthy. It was so perfect that I smiled through the whole meal. My meat and Chinese food loving husband said how good it was over and over again until the meal was gone. For my 2.5 year old, who does not eat salad, I took parts of the salad I know that he likes and gave them to him separately. He enjoyed his meal as well. Win/Win!

The best part about this salad is that I didn't have it planned out ahead of time. After having a very sick baby for a week, my routine was all off. I had not made my meal plan, my shopping list was random, and I had no idea what I was making for dinner with the clock ticking away. I had bought lots of beautiful fruits and vegetables at the store that week as they were calling my name while I was shopping, and with the summer heat already making my air conditioner do double time I did not want to contribute to making the house any warmer. At that moment, SALAD popped into my mind. PERFECT!! I did heat up the black beans and made some whole grain noodles for my hubby, who has a super fast metabolism and lives off of carbs, and my toddler who is super duper picky but LOVES noodles. It was a great addition to my husband's salad and a good base for my son's meal.

This meal is great for a week day night, a summer meal, and a healthy diet. It's Vegetarian, all natural, and full of fresh whole foods. Why not add this to your meal plan..now. You can thank me later ;)







The Bright, Colorful, and Happy Salad
(Can be gluten free, dairy free, nut free, egg free, Vegan, Vegetarian)
Serves 1
(Very easily made for multiple people. Amounts of food are also optional depending on the eater and size of bowl. Just make sure to use the same ingredients to enjoy this fantastic salad.)

Ingredients

• 2 cups spinach
• 4 mushrooms, sliced
• 3 strawberries, sliced
• 1/3 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup black beans (I used canned beans drained and warmed on the stove)
• 1/4 of an avocado, sliced
• 1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbs Pomegranate infused Red Wine Vinegar (Any vinegar without added sugar will work here, but this one rocks!)
• Brown rice and quinoa curly noodles (optional)*

Directions

1. If using noodles, boil water in a pot on the stove and cook noodles as stated on their container. 
2. Place all ingredients into a bowl in the order shown. Add noodles for extra carbs and calories for those that need it. Can be placed in the bowl with the salad or in a separate bowl on the side drizzled with olive oil.
3. Give yourself extra time to cut and cook all of the ingredients. Will take about 20 minutes total prep time.

With noodles on the left. Without noodles on the right.

Notes:

*I bought these noodles at Trader Joes. Any gluten free or wheat noodles will work for this recipe. I suggest using whole grain noodles as they are lower on the glycemic index and are better for your health and blood sugar.

Nutrition Facts: (without noodles)
Cals-322, Fat-15g, Carbs-39.5g, Fiber-13.5g, Sugar-7.5g, Pro-13.5g 

PB and Chocolate Oatmeal Bliss Light & Fit (Part 3)

Hi and welcome back! This is the third part of a three part series on making oatmeal a delicious part of your morning breakfast. Oatmeal has so many benefits to our bodies, but some people don't like it because it doesn't have a very strong flavor. We're in luck, though, because this means you can add many things to it to make it more enjoyable to your taste.

As you can see here in part 1 and here in part 2, peanut butter and chocolate are two are of my favorite flavors. These two flavors are also FANTASTIC in oatmeal. Some people really LOVE chocolate and peanut butter, but both foods contain a lot of calories and fat. This scares some of them off. As I point out in part 2, there is a huge obesity crisis going on in the world right now. It is REALLY scary to think of being a part of that statistic. The good news is that none of my recipes will make you obese. They are all made with substitutions and formed in a way to be healthy for us. Even with me saying that, some will refuse to make a Peanut Butter and Chocolate Oatmeal..even if it does have the word "bliss" in the title.

Here is where the third recipe comes in... PB and Chocolate Oatmeal Bliss Light and Fit. The word "light" makes people happy especially people watching their weight and their calories. The word "fit" is included because it has the added bonus of protein, and most people that work out and/or lift weights look for ways to add more protein into their diet. The way I do it is very simple, and it adds volume to your oatmeal. It's my little secret. I've been doing it for years, but I have never shared it for fear of people thinking it is weird. Well, I don't know why I was afraid of it because it is such a good idea that I should be happy to share it! Aren't you lucky?! :)

Can you guess what the secret ingredient is based on this picture?? Egg whites! Yes, you heard me right. Egg whites! I know you're thinking to yourself..ummmmm eggs in oatmeal?? But think about it. How many yummy sweet foods do we eat and enjoy that contain eggs? There are brownies, cookies, cakes, ect. If eggs are so good in those foods, why wouldn't they be good in oatmeal? Because egg whites barely have any flavor, you can not taste them at all. They just add volume and protein to the oats (which means you are eating a lot more without adding any sugar, carbs, or fat!). Isn't that grand?? I figured this little tip out when I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes with my first child. I love to eat and couldn't stand eating such small amounts of carbs. I need more food. I feel deprived if my bowl in barely filled. This not only gave me more to eat, but also kept me full longer because of the added protein. Now, I don't eat it any other way..unless someone else cooks for me of course.

Once everything is mixed together, it reminds me of a S'more.
Maybe I should've called this S'more Oatmeal...cause you'll always
want "some more" *wink*

PB and Chocolate Oatmeal Bliss Light & Fit
(Gluten free, dairy free, Vegetarian)
Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup old fashioned oatmeal
• 1/3 cup egg whites
• 2 tbs PB2
• 1/2 tbs cocoa, unsweetened
• 1-2 packets (2-4 tsp) Stevia or Splenda (depending on how sweet you want it)

Directions for Microwave 

(This method is quicker and easier if cooking for one person.)

1. Put oatmeal in a large microwave safe bowl. Pour in double the amount of water into the oatmeal. Example: 1/3 cup of oatmeal and 2/3 cup of water.  
2. Cook in microwave for 1 minute until the oats are soft and barely any water is left. DO NOT COVER THE BOWL. (My microwave is VERY powerful and it only takes 1 minute. You do not want to fully cook the oatmeal at this point, but you do want most of the water gone with just a little left. If a lot of water is still left in your bowl, you need to cook in 30 second increments until it gets to where it needs to be.) 
3. Pour in the egg whites, and cook for 1-2 minutes until the eggs and oats are fully cooked. (You can tell that it is done when you move the bowl and the oats stay in place not sliding. If the oats are still moving continue to cook in 30 second increments until done.)
4. Be careful taking the bowl out of the microwave as it will be very hot.
5. Put the PB2, cocoa, and Stevia in the oatmeal and stir until mixed. 
6. Wait a couple of minutes for it to cool and then enjoy! If it's taking too long to cool, stick inside the refrigerator or freezer for a minute or two to shorten the wait time.

Nutrition Facts:
(1 serving)
Cals-197, Fat-3.5g , Carbs-25g, Fiber-.7g, Sugar-1.5g, Pro-18g

Compared to PB and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bliss for Adults:
(with 1/3 cup oatmeal)
Cals-250, Fat-12g, Carbs-27g, Fiber-3g, Sugar-4.5g , Pro-7.5g

PB and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bliss for Kids (Part 2)

This is Part 2 in a three part series on how to incorporate extremely healthy oatmeal into your family's diet...with the added goodness of peanut butter and chocolate. You can find Part 1 focused toward adults here. Today our goal is feeding the kiddos. 

Don't you just love how bright my toddler's bowl and spoon are??

Many of us are concerned about the obesity epidemic spreading across our nation and even the world. We are not sure how much we should feed our children or how much they REALLY need to be nourished and healthy. Now, I'm the first to admit that chocolate chips are not the MOST healthy food in the world, but with my little picky eater I'm willing to throw in 6 tiny chocolate chips to get the healthy, natural, nutrient-filled peanut butter and whole grain, fiber-filled oatmeal into his belly. Since I have been praying about what to feed my children since birth and have been more and more interested in what they NEED for their growth and development as they get older, I have been doing some research. I would like to share a few links with you in case you too are interested in learning more about how to nourish our children in these crucial years of development or if you're just curious. I have also added three links on info for pregnant/nursing moms.

http://www.eatright.org/kids/article.aspx?id=6442459365 (a great article for toddlers/preschoolers!)

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/preschoolers.html (preschoolers)

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/kids/ParentsEducators.html (children beyond preschoolers)

http://www.parents.com/recipes/nutrition/how-much-does-my-kid-need-to-eat/ (ages 1-9)

http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/healthy_eating/breakfast.html (why breakfast is super important)

http://www.lancastergeneralhealth.org/LGH/ECommerceSite/media/LGH-Media-Library/Documents/Services/Service%20Lines/Healthy%20Weight%20Management/Fact%20Sheets/Nutrition-6-7-8-Years.pdf (6-8 years old)

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/nutrition/Pages/A-Teenagers-Nutritional-Needs.aspx (ages 10 and up)

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/12466.php (for teenagers)

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=specialneed&dbid=6 (for teenagers)

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/pregnancy-breastfeeding.html (government based website for women)

http://www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-diet.aspx (from "what to expect" website)

http://nourishingourchildren.wordpress.com/2012/08/03/the-optimal-diet-for-pregnant-and-nursing-mothers/ (for those interested in diets associated with the Weston A. Price foundation)

PB and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bliss (for kids)
This could also be a great adult snack...

(Can be gluten free, dairy free, tree nut free, egg free, Vegan, Vegetarian)

Serves 1 (double recipe for 2)

Ingredients

• 1/4-1/2 cup of old fashioned oatmeal not cooked (Depends on how old your children are and how much they can eat.)
• 6 dairy free chocolate chips (You can add as many as you want. Sometimes I do up to 10 chips.)
• 1/2 tablespoon creamy natural peanut butter (or any nut butter you prefer)

Directions for Microwave 

(This method is quicker and easier if cooking for one person.)

1. Put oatmeal in a large microwave safe bowl. Pour in double the amount of water into the bowl. Example: 1/4 cup of oatmeal and 1/2 cup of water.  
2. Cook in microwave for 1-3 minutes until the oats are soft and no water is visible. DO NOT COVER THE BOWL. (My microwave is VERY powerful and it only takes 1 minute. The oatmeal container suggests up to 3 minutes, so I would try 1 minute and if it's still watery cook in 30 minute increments until done.) 
3. Be careful taking the bowl out of the microwave as it will be very hot. 
4. Place the oatmeal into a child-size bowl.
5. Put the peanut butter in the oatmeal and stir until mixed.
6. Drop the 6 chocolate chips into the bowl and stir. These will melt into the hot oatmeal. 
7. Wait a couple of minutes for it to cool and then enjoy! 

Directions for Stove

(This way will be much easier if cooking for more than one person. These directions are for 2 servings of 1/2 cup of dry oats each.)

1. Boil 1 3/4 cups of water in a pot on the stove. 
2. Stir in 1 cup of oats. 
3. Cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat; stir occasionally.
4. Once done, put half of the oatmeal into one bowl and the other half into another bowl. 
5. Put 1/2 tablespoon peanut butter into each bowl and stir until mixed. 
6. Drop 6 chocolate chips into each bowl and stir.
7. Wait a couple of minutes for it to cool and then enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts: 
(1 serving made with 1/4 cup of dry oatmeal)
Cals-150, Fat-6.5g, Carbs-18g, Fiber-1.5g, Sugar-3.5g , Pro-4.5g

(1 serving made with 1/2 cup of dry oatmeal)
Cals-225, Fat-7.8g, Carbs-32g, Fiber-3.5g, Sugar-3.5g, Pro-7.5g

PB and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bliss for Adults (Part 1)

I don't know if you see a trend going on here or not, but if you didn't realize it yet I really really like chocolate and peanut butter is a very close second. I have also been coming up with a lot of delicious and healthy breakfast meals per request of some friends. After posting a few of my smoothies, some have mentioned they need something more solid to fill them up. That is when I decided to share some ways to make one of my favorite breakfast meals: oatmeal.

Lately I have not been sleeping well due to a teething and sick baby. When I am tired, I NEED FOOD. It's like my body goes into starvation mode and keeps sending signals to my brain that I MUST EAT NOW. I try my very best to satisfy those cravings while at the same time keeping it healthy and simple. This recipe is one way I accomplish that.

I have three versions of this delicious meal for you. 1) PB and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bliss for Adults 2) PB and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bliss for Children 3) PB and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bliss Light. I will also share a good side to go along with this meal if you prefer more protein with your breakfast.

The Adult version has the most oats, chocolate chips, and peanut butter. I will share this one with you today.
The Child version has the same ingredients but less amounts of each. I will be posting this one very soon!

The Light version uses PB2 instead of the creamy peanut butter. I will also be posting this one very soon!

I will go into more details (trust me it is NOT complicated at all!) about how to make the first type of oatmeal in the recipe down below, but here is an easy side that you can make if you want to add more vegetables and protein to your meal.

1/3 cup of egg whites, 2 tbs diced onions, and 1/2 cup spinach (or any
vegetable on hand. Peppers and mushrooms would also work well.), and
1 tsp of olive oil scrambled in a skillet. Sprinkle in some Italian
Seasoning for added flavor. (117 cals, 5g Fat, 6g Carbs, 12g Pro)

Now..how about that sweet satisfying blissful oatmeal...

PB and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bliss (for adults)

(Can be gluten free, dairy free, tree nut free, egg free, Vegan, Vegetarian)

Serves 1 (double recipe for 2)

Ingredients

• 1/3-1/2 cup of old fashioned oatmeal not cooked (depends on how hungry you are)
• 8 dairy free chocolate chips (You can add as many as you want. Sometimes I do up to 12 chips.)
• 1 tablespoon creamy natural peanut butter (or any nut butter you prefer)

Directions for Microwave 

(This method is quicker and easier if cooking for one person.)

1. Put oatmeal in a large microwave safe bowl. Pour in double the amount of water into the bowl. Example: 1/3 cup of oatmeal and 2/3 cup of water.  
2. Cook in microwave for 2-3 minutes until the oats are soft and no water is visible. DO NOT COVER THE BOWL. (My microwave is VERY powerful and it only takes 2 minutes. The oatmeal container suggests up to 3 minutes, so I would try 2 minutes and if it's still watery cook for 1 more minute.) 
3. Be careful taking the bowl out of the microwave as it will be very hot. 
4. Put the peanut butter into the oatmeal and stir until mixed.
5. Drop the 8 chocolate chips into the bowl and stir. These will melt into the hot oatmeal. 
6. Wait a couple of minutes for it to cool and then enjoy! 

Directions for Stove

(This way will be much easier if cooking for more than one person. These directions are for 2 servings of 1/2 cup of dry oats each.)

1. Boil 1 3/4 cups of water in a pot on the stove. 
2. Stir in 1 cup of oats. 
3. Cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat; stir occasionally.
4. Once done, put half of the oatmeal into one bowl and the other half into another bowl. 
5. Put 1 tablespoon peanut butter into each bowl and stir until mixed. 
6. Drop 8 chocolate chips into each bowl and stir.
7. Wait a couple of minutes for it to cool and then enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts:
(1 serving made with 1/3 cup of dry oatmeal)
Cals-250, Fat-12g, Carbs-27g, Fiber-3g, Sugar-4.5g , Pro-7.5g

(1 serving made with 1/2 cup of dry oatmeal)
Cals-300, Fat-13g, Carbs-36g, Fiber-4g, Sugar-4.5g, Pro-9.5g

Moist Chocolate & Coconut Flour Treats

I've been on a mission, guys! I know that several of you are eating low carb, and I even had someone specifically ask me if I could come up with an even LOWER carb muffin than my Healthy Chocolate Muffins I posted a month ago. I have been wracking my brain in the kitchen for the past couple weeks and cooked 5 pans of muffins in the past 2 days alone (I was SO CLOSE to the perfect recipe and could NOT stop until I got it down!). These beauties still have some carbs, but only have HALF the amount of the previous muffins: 2.8g carb with 1g of that being fiber!

If you have ever cooked with coconut flour, which is the gem to these Moist Chocolate & Coconut Flour Treats, then you KNOW how sensitive it is. It is no joke. PLEASE do not change ANYTHING to this recipe. You have to make it exactly as I post it or you will not like the results. It may still taste fantastic, but you may have a gooey but crumbly situation (SOOO weird I know!).

If you do not like coconut have no fear! These taste nothing like coconut and especially not like the coconut you are probably thinking of. The words out of my husband's mouth were (and I quote), "These are good! No coconut flavor, not bitter from the cocoa, moist, and reminds me of a chocolate brownie!" SCORE!

Once you cook these, make sure you let them completely cool and then stick them in a covered container and in the fridge. It's just way too hot to keep them on the counter during the summer. When they are cold, the fudgey chocolate flavor also comes out a lot more. YUMMM. I would go get one right now to eat, but..ummm..they're already all gone! *gasp*

Moist Chocolate Coconut Flour Treats
(Gluten free, dairy free, Vegetarian, low carb, low sugar)
Makes 24 mini muffins

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup coconut flour* 
• 1/4 c cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup applesauce, unsweetened
• 1/4 c splenda**
• 1 tbs vanilla flavoring

Directions

1. Put the coconut flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder into a large bowl and mix very well.
2. Place the eggs, applesauce, splenda, and vanilla into another medium size bowl and stir until blended. 
3. Pour the wet ingredients (the ingredients from step 2) into the dry ingredients and stir until just blended. Do not over blend but make sure no chunks are left. It should be moist and slightly thick not runny. 
4. Spray cooking oil into mini muffin pan cups or rub with a paper towel and butter or oil. Just make sure you coat the entire cup on all sides and the bottom as the muffins will stick if not covered well.
5. Turn on oven to 400F degrees.
6. Use a spoon and fill cups 3/4 full with the mixture. 
7. Cook in the oven for 9-11 minutes. It took mine 11 minutes, but since ovens can differ in strength please check them at 8 minutes. If they are firm on the top and browning around the edges then they are done. If not and still pretty springy, then leave them in the oven for 2 more minutes. Check again and if they are not done cook for 1 more minute.
8. Take muffins out and let them COMPLETELY cool before taking them out (using a knife to help works best) and placing in a container to go in the fridge.
9. You can eat them warm, but the flavor is much stronger when cold. I suggest waiting a little bit, but if you can't wait feel free to eat them warm! They are still good :)

If you like this recipe, please feel free to CLICK one of the "Reactions" below above the comments, leave a comment, add this recipe to your Pinterest board, and share on Facebook! Thanks :)

NOTES:
*I use Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Flour. I haven't tried any other brand, but please let me know which brand you use and how it turns out! I'd love to hear!
**I have only tried Splenda in this recipe. Feel free to try Stevia or if you don't care much about the carb content substitute sugar or 1/3 cup chocolate chips in it's place.

Nutrition Facts:
(per mini muffin with Splenda without chocolate chips)
Cals-20, Fat-0.7g, Chol-17.5mg, Carbs-2.8g, Fiber-1g, Sugar-0.8g, Pro-1g

Heavenly PB & Banana Smoothie

I got some great feedback from my first smoothie post! Thanks to all of you that tried it and let me know what you thought. Keep that feedback coming! :) If you missed that post, you can find it here. You can find my recipe for Healthy Chocolate Smoothie there, and also the reasons why I love smoothies.

I've been racking my brain on which amazing flavor of smoothie to come up with next. There are SO many. I was making several smoothies a day to find the most delicious taste with as many vitamins and healthy nutrients included. My waistline was BEGGING me to slow down because although smoothies are great for your body...6 or 7 within a few hours are not. Haha! Then the Heavenly PB & Banana Smoothie was born.

Since I made this particular smoothie for my husband last night, I used 2% cow's milk but because my son and I are lactose intolerant I would have used original plain soymilk for us. Either one works perfectly well. Bananas have a lot of great nutrients in them, but they are also very sweet so when used in recipes extra sweetener is usually not needed. Just the way God intended! Flaxseeds are a good source of fiber and are rich in Omega-3s! They also contain some Omega-6 and Omega-9. Natural peanut butter is a great source of protein and has many vitamins (feel free to use any type of nut butter you choose if you have a peanut allergy in the family). I encourage the use of natural pb as it does not contain hydrogenated oils which are REALLY not good for our bodies! It is delicious, so much better for you, and much more affordable than it used to be. I generally use spinach leaves. but when I saw the kale and spinach blend was cheaper I decided to give it a whirl! It wasn't bad at all. My husband couldn't even taste the kale once the smoothie was finished (and he is NOT a bitter fan). Kale is more bitter than most other green vegetables but also extremely good for you, and when prepared correctly can be tasty to even the pickiest eaters! Lastly, the blueberries add no flavor to this smoothie, but throw in some extra antioxidants to strengthen your immune system. They do leave a tiny bit of specks after blended, so if your eaters can not stand the texture feel free to leave them out.

Heavenly PB & Banana Smoothie
(Can be gluten free, dairy free, added sugar free, egg free, Vegan, Vegetarian)
Serves 2 (about 1 cup each)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups milk (2% cow's milk or original plain soymilk)*
• Small fresh banana, broken into 1 inch pieces (about 6-7 inches long)
• 1 tbs ground flaxseed
• 2 tbs peanut butter
• 1 cup spinach or spinach and kale blend
• 1/4 cup blueberries, fresh
• Crushed ice, if needed to thicken (optional)
• Protein powder (optional; not included here)**

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in blender in the order shown except for the ice if using.
2. Blend as needed to completely puree and mix together all ingredients. If using a stronger blender, like a Vitamix, this step should be quick and easy. If using an older cheaper blender like me, it may take up to 5 minutes and using different settings to get the smoothie to the consistency you want. 
3. If smoothie is not thick enough, add 1/2 cup of crushed ice and blend very well. Continue to add as much crushed ice as needed to reach the desired consistency. There should be no chunks of ice left. 
4. Get two glasses, pour 1 cup into each, sit, sip, and enjoy!

If you like this recipe, please feel free to CLICK one of the "Reactions" below above the comments and/or add this recipe to your Pinterest board and/or share on Facebook! Thanks!

Notes:
*I also tried unsweetened almond milk with this recipe, but it wasn't as tasty and needed some sweetener. If you would like to reduce the carbs and sugar in this recipe, feel free to use unsweetened almond milk and add sweetener of choice to desired flavor. I have not tried fat free, 1%, or whole cow's milk. If you do please let me know how it comes out!
**I know many people want more protein in their breakfast or their diet in general. I actually got the idea to make protein powder optional in all my smoothies from one of my friends who really liked my first smoothie and even made it for a family member who drank it all up! She added protein powder, and I thought that it was a great idea. I did not add it in this recipe myself, but feel free to add your favorite protein powder to increase the protein amount. It will change the nutrition facts I provide below if added. 

Nutrition Facts:
(1 cup with 2% cow's milk)
Cals-268, Fat-13.5g, Carbs-27.5g, Fiber-2.5g, Sugar-17g, Pro-11.5g

(1 cup with original plain soymilk)
Cals-251, Fat-12.8g, Carbs-25g, Fiber-3.5g, Sugar-12.5g, Pro-10.5g