{BEST CHOCOLATE SHAKE EVER}

Mom came up with this Chocolate Shake and it really is a perfect mix of ingredients for a perfect flavor.  It's made from healthy whole foods so it's a delicious treat that you don't have to feel guilty eating!

1 c. cold water (like really cold from the fridge water)
1/2 c. ice
1/3 c. raw almonds
6-8 pitted dates (about 1/2 c.)

• Put above ingredients in blender
• Blend 90 seconds or until smooth

Add:
3 whole frozen bananas (6 halves cut into 1 inch pieces- should raise the almond date milk from about  2 cups to 4 cups)
1/4 t. coconut extract (Don't leave this out!  It's what makes the shake not taste like a banana/chocolate shake)
1/2 t. vanilla extract
 8 t. cocoa powder

• Blend until smooth, scraping down sides of blender as necessary.
• Pour a nice tall glass and enjoy!  We like to eat it with a spoon.
  
• Serves 2-4

 

{HOT CHOCOLATE}

4 c. plain/vanilla soy milk, or rice milk
1/4 t. stevia
2T. cocoa
1/8-1/2 t. vanilla (1/8 t. if using vanilla soy milk)

• The easiest way to heat this is in a blender, but you can also just use a saucepan.
  

{CHIA SEEDS}

Chia seeds aren't really a recipe, but i thought they might be worth posting. They are pretty much a super food. They don't really have a taste at all, and kind of look and feel like poppyseeds. When they absorb water, they look like little frog eggs. (Don't worry they're not that gross) Just a few of the many good things about them: they are the number one source of Omega 3 fatty acids, even more than flax seeds. This Omega 3 helps circulation and the heart. The omega 3s break up the lipids which cause blood clots, varicose veins, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attacks, cardiac arrhythmias, and high triglycerides. Besides this aspect of them, they help diabetics by slowing blood sugar spikes. They have 3 times the antioxidants than blueberries. The fiber in chia seeds helps with digestion. In 2 ounces of milk there are 120 milligrams of calcium. In 2 ounces of chia, there are 600 milligrams of calcium. That means chia has 5 times the amount of calcium than milk! The other aspect of chia seeds, is their ability to fuel endurance activity such as running, which is why i love them so much. They have 2 times the potassium as a banana which means more electrolytes than in Gatorade. The seeds absorb up to 30 times their weight when put in water so they are great for keeping hydrated during athletic events and just throughout the day. The other reason why they are so good for endurance sports is because the chia gel (formed when you soak the seeds in water) causes a slow release of carbohydrates, which slowly convert to glucose that your body can use for energy.

The way that we've been eating them is by putting them in our green drinks in the morning. For four people you would soak 1/4 cup chia seeds in a little water while you make a normal spinach fruit smoothie. Then, after the seeds have soaked for about 5 minutes (soaking time isn't very important because the seeds absorb any stomach liquid as well so they are affective even if swallowed dry) anyways after they have soaked, blend them in with the green drink and enjoy. You can also just stir a spoonful of the seeds into an 8 ounce glass of water, let it sit, then drink it up. You will be hydrated and energized for the rest of the day!

{ALCOHOL-FREE WASSAIL}

(Photo plagiarized from here.)

Wassail has been around for a long time. The term started out as an old English saying, "Was hal," which means, "Be hale," or "Be of good health." We have a family holiday tradition of "wassailing." We sit around, sipping wassail, and make toasts to each other, the new year, etc. Here's the recipe.

3 cans apple juice concentrate, prepared normally

1 can orange juice concentrate, prepared normally

1 can pineapple juice concentrate, prepared normally

1/2 c lemon juice

6 cinnamon sticks

15 whole cloves

• Mix all ingredients and simmer for a while. (We just put it in a crock pot and let it warm all day. It smells terrific!)

{KALE LEMONADE}

This drink is basically the same as this one, but we now make it green every time. The kids love it, and my husband and I really like it too! You can't tell from the picture, but the top foamy part is a really pretty bright green also, so it seems so festive and fun. For some reason the kale doesn't really change the taste, so I figure it might as well be added for the nutrition.

2 c. water

1 c. ice

juice from 3-4 lemons (or limes)

1-2 big kale leaves (or a couple handfuls of spinach)

1/2 t. stevia (or slightly less)

• Place all ingredients in blender
• Blend on high for about a minute (I just push the whole juice button on my Blendtec)
• Add about 2 more cups of water or crushed ice (go by taste- you can't add all the water needed at the beginning or the blender will overflow)

*To make sure this stays like lemonade instead of a smoothie, I don't add so many greens that it makes it thick. It stays thin and gets blended well enough that the color is the only way you know there were veggies added.

*Lemonade isn't super healthy if a ton of sugar is added, which is why we use stevia. It is not artificial and a lot of people actually think there are health benefits to using it. It is so sweet, you just need a portion of the amount you would use of normal sugar. Here is a link where you can purchase the very pure, concentrated kind. One ounce of it lasts me at least 3 months, so it really isn't very expensive when you consider how little you need to use. You can also buy stevia at normal health food stores, but it is not as pure and concentrated, so you need to use more. I think the cost probably equals out in the end.

*Kale is a nutrition powerhouse that has tons of vitamins, it's very high in calcium, and is about 50% protein. It's also a good source of omega 3's. It is great in smoothies and a great addition to any diet for optimal health.

{LEMONADE}

2/3 c. lemon juice (if you have a vitamix you can put in 3 whole lemons, peeled)

8 to 10 c. water

1/2 to 3/4 t. stevia (to taste)

Experiment with different amounts of lemon vs. sweetener--everyone likes their lemonade different!

Blend very well--works best in a blender to get the stevia to blend in.

I also make a 'slushy' by replacing some of the water with ice cubes.

Also, for St. Patrick's day, I made a 'limeade' slushy by adding lots of spinach to the original recipe (if you do this, blend the spinach and water first before adding the ice)