Black Cherry Chocolate Smoothie

Vegan Smoothie - Black Cherry Chocolate

It's been quite hot out lately and that makes me more thirsty.  Well, "hot" is actually an understatement.  Last week we were over 110 degrees, as in 115 melt my brain degrees on Thursday.  Below is a screen shot of my phone in case you don't believe me.   However, the "Feels like 110°" part... I beg to differ.  Bear with me, I feel a wee rant coming on - blame it on the heat ;)

July 24, 2014... 115 degrees - hot is an understatement

Yes, I live in Arizona so I should accept the summer weather of 110° - pushing 120° (Yes, I lived here when we hit 122 OMG!° in 1990 and survived).  First off, let me say that I only live in Arizona and have nothing to do with the ignorant government and their policy's here in the great state of the sun.  I say this because lately AZ is in the news every time I turn around, and sadly not in a good way - it's embarrassing to say the least.  With that said, I do love the weather here.  I love the sunshine, wearing flip flops, shorts and tank dresses practically year round, the gorgeous sunsets, the beauty of the desert... but I do not like the brain melting, burn your hands on the steering wheel and your bum on the car seat type of heat.  Or the politics.

Rant over.

Not only in this type of heat, you need to drink plenty of fluids.  I love and drink plain fresh water from the time I get up until I go to bed.  Other than that, the only other drinks I have are my daily morning green smoothies, 1 cup of jo in the morning and my afternoon smoothie of choice.  Like my Black Cherry Chocolate Smoothie.  It is oh so delicious!

Black Cherry Chocolate Smoothie

1 frozen banana
1 non-frozen banana
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup tart black cherries (or cherries of choice)
1 heaping TBS cacao powder
1 medjool date (or more if you like sweet - I don't like too sweet)
1/2 cup or more of cold water (adjust as needed)

Blend in high powered blender until smooth and creamy.  You can adjust the consistency for a thinner smoothie by adding more water.

Stay cool and enjoy!

Peace☮
Rocki

Green Chocolate Smoothie - Raw and Vegan

Green Chocolate Smoothie

Green smoothies pretty much rock my mornings.  Chocolate (cacao) smoothies rock my afternoons.  Put them together and oh my gosh!  Pure bliss. 

Chocolate, meet green.  That's exactly what I did with this smoothie and let me tell you... it was SO yummy that I practically licked the mug clean!  Okay okay, so I really licked it clean ;) 

Green Chocolate Smoothie

Green Layer:
1 cup zucchini, roughly chopped
1 handful baby spinach
2 dates
1 large frozen banana
1 Tbs flax meal
1 1/2 Tbs cacao powder
1/4 cup water (adjust as needed)

Blend in powerful blender.  Transfer to separate container and put in freezer while making next later.

Creamy Layer:
1 large frozen banana
1 heaping Tbs almond butter
1/4 cup water (adjust as needed)

Blend well.  Layer in tall glass as you wish and enjoy.  I topped mine with cacao nibs for a bit of crunch, but it's seriously yummielicous as is.

Peace☮
Rocki

A&J Smoothie - Almond Butter and Jam

Smoothie - Almond Butter and Jam

The other day I was dreaming of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  So I created this thick and delicious healthy smoothie!  But instead of a P&J, this one is A&J -  without the bread.  Creamy almond butter and lick my lips blueberry grape jam.

I don't use too many nuts in my smoothies, but a little here and there is perfect for me.  Besides, it's kind of hard to create a A&J smoothie without them. 

A&J Smoothie - Almond Butter and Jam
 
Jam Swirls
1 cup blueberries
1 cup red grapes
1 very small banana

Blend, pour into separate container and put in freezer while making next layer.

Almond Butter Layer
1 frozen banana
1 non-frozen banana
1 heaping TBS almond butter
1/2 cup water or milk of choice (adjust as needed)

Blend in powerful blender.  Alternate each layer in a tall glass as you wish and enjoy!

Peace☮
Rocki

Green Custard Smoothie - Raw & Vegan

Green Custard Smoothie - Raw & Vegan

Cherimoya - also known as the custard apple, and for good reason.  You can read more about this OMG! fruit in my Cherimoya Parfait recipe post.

I do believe that cherimoya is my most favorite fruit of all.  Well, right next to mangos, bananas, blueberries, watermelon... Anyway, it's in my top 5 at least, that's for sure. 


Green Custard Smoothie - Raw & Vegan

Custard layer:
1 small cherimoya - peeled and seeded
1/2 banana
water - enough to blend with (amount varies due to fruit size)

Blend, pour into separate container and set in freezer while making next layer.

Green layer:
1 frozen banana
1 non-frozen banana
2 handfuls baby spinach
1 tsp Matcha Green Tea powder (optional)
1 Tbs flax meal (optional)
1/2 cup water - adjust as needed

Blend in powerful blender.  Alternate each layer in a tall glass as you wish and enjoy!

Peace☮
Rocki

Buddha and my Green Custard Smoothie

Blueberry Plum Green Smoothie

Blueberry Plum Green Smoothie - Raw and Vegan

My daily breakfast is a smoothie, typically green as they are my favorite, or sometimes all fruit.  Occasionally I'll have a chia fruit parfait, but smoothies rock my mornings.

All, if not most, of my smoothies contain superfoods of some sort.  This one, which is actually a green smoothie in disguise, contains the superfoods: dried Goji Berries (upcoming post soon about this nutrient rich superstar) and Matcha Green Tea powder (see Green is the New Orange for more info on Matcha). 

So lets get to the recipe for this super healthy and uber delicious smoothie.

Antioxidant Boost Blueberry Plum Green Smoothie

2 handfuls baby spinach
1 cup blueberries
1 plum (pit removed)
1 Tbs Goji berries
2 frozen bananas
1 Tbs flax meal
3/4 cup coconut water or plain (adjust as needed)
1 tsp Matcha green tea

Blend all ingredients well.  Due to blenders vary (I use a Vitamix) as well as the size of fruits, you may need to adjust the water.

Enjoy this super healthy and delicious tasting smoothie!

Peace☮
Rocki

Strawberry Mint Swirl Smoothie - Raw and Vegan

Strawberry Mint Smoothie

When I have a little extra time in the mornings I enjoy being creative with my smoothies.  I love to do layers with different fruits and greens, from simple to elegant.  This one was rather simple in looks, but the taste had a definite WOW factor!

Strawberry Mint Swirl Smoothie Mint

Cream Layer:
2 cold ripe bananas
3-4 mint leaves
1/4 cup hemp milk (or milk of choice)
1 tsp Matcha (optional)

Blend all ingredients, pour into a separate container and put in freezer while making the next layer.

Reddish Pink layer:
1 handful strawberries - about 1 1/2 cups
1/2 small beet
1 small frozen ripe banana

Blend all ingredients.

Alternately pour each layer in a tall glass and give a little swirl after each layer.  I topped mine with mint and a few nibbles of my fudge brownie, which is completely optional.

Peace☮
Rocki

Raw Chocolate Coconut Smoothie - Vegan Shake

Raw Chocolate Coconut Smoothie

I'm finding it rather difficult to concentrate on typing while sipping on my uber delicious thick and cream, rich and chocolaty, coconuty, raw vegan, guilt-free dessert like smoothie.  Whew!  That was a mouthful.  So I'll get right to the recipe.


Raw Chocolate Coconut Smoothie

1 large frozen ripe banana
1 large not frozen ripe banana
1 Tbs coconut oil
2 Tbs cacao powder
1 Tbs dried coconut shreds (I use unsweetened)
3/4 cup water (adjust as needed)
1/2 cup ice
optional toppings: coconut shreds and my homemade chocolate chunks, which I'll post tomorrow morning.

Blend all ingredients until thick and creamy.  Due to blenders vary (I use a vitamix) you may need to adjust the water.  This delicious shake like smoothie is perfect as is or add toppings of choice.

Note:  if your bananas are not ripe then add a medjool date or sweetener of choice to sweeten it up.

Peace☮
Rocki

Cherimoya Parfait - Raw Vegan Smoothie

Cherimoya Parfait - Raw Vegan Smoothie

I have a new love and it's name is Cherimoya!  I won a tropical fruit box on Instagram via one of the other IG accounts I follow.  Anyway, the fruit box arrived from Melissa's Produce and I was floored by the amount of fruit that was in it!  Most of them I had never had, but have been wanting to try.  I was beyond excited!

This delicious custard like fruit (it is also known as a "custard apple") is amazing and I'm completely hooked - so is Mark.  It's a little bit of work to get all the big seeds out and scrape the fruit off of the peel - do NOT eat the peel - but believe you me it is more than worth it!   

Cherimoya Fruit

This took a bit of time with the layering process as I wanted it to look as delicious as it tastes!  Friday's are my days off so I had plenty of time. I was going to also garnish it, but I love the way it turned out as is. And the taste... out of this world! Like a pudding smoothie.

Cherimoya Parfait Smoothie

Green layer:
2 frozen bananas
1 huge handful spinach
2 Tbs hemp heart seeds
1 Tbs flax meal
1/2 cup water (adjust as needed)
1 tsp Matcha Green Tea Powder (optional)

Blend, pour into a separate container and put in freezer while making next layer.

Cream layer:
1 cherimoya - peeled and seeded
1 frozen banana

Blend, pour *half* of the mixture into separate container and put in freezer.

Orange layer:
With remaining cream layer in blender, add 1 Tbs goji berries and blend.

Take the containers out of the freezer and get ready to create!  After each layer, put the glass in freezer for about 5-10 minutes to let it set up (not frozen solid). With a small spatula or spoon, slowly add in another layer - start around the rim/inside of the glass first then work your way into the middle - this helps to keep the layers separate.  Do as many layers as you wish or simply blend everything together.  You can eat this super thick n creamy delicious parfait smoothie with a spoon or drink it with a straw. 

While waiting in between layers, you can do Sun Salutations or the dishes - your choice. Enjoy!

Peace☮
Rocki