Cherry Chocolate Smoothie - Raw Vegan Treat

Smoothie - Cherry Chocolate

Sometimes less is more.  As is the case for my Cherry Chocolate Smoothie - and this post.

Only 3 ingredients, plus water, and you'll have a delicious smoothie treat.

Oh and just to mention... I don't like overly sweet foods and while I think this was sweet enough, feel free to add sweetener of choice if needed.


Cherry Chocolate Smoothie

2 ripe bananas: 1 frozen and 1 non-frozen
1 cup frozen cherries
1 TBS heaping cacao powder
water - start with 1/2 cup

Blend all ingredients in high powered blender until smooth and creamy.  You can adjust the consistency by adding more water to your liking.

Enjoy the simple things.

Peace☮
Rocki

Chocolate Grape Smoothie

Chocolate Grape Smoothie

Simply put - this is one awesome tasting smoothie!  I took my Chocolate Jam Swirl Smoothie and simplified it into one easy step.  It will definitely satisfy your chocolate sweet tooth.


Chocolate Grape Smoothie

1 frozen banana
1 non-frozen banana
1 cup ripe red grapes (or grapes of choice)
1/2 cup frozen (or fresh) blueberries
1 heaping TBS cacao powder
water - about 1/2 cup (start with 1/4 cup and adjust to your liking)

Blend all ingredients in high powered blender until smooth and creamy.  You can adjust the consistency for a thinner smoothie by adding more water.  Enjoy to your hearts content!

Peace☮
Rocki

Dragon Fruit Delight Smoothie Parfait

Dragon Fruit Smoothie Parfait

Every time I turned around, Dragon Fruit was everywhere on Instagram.  Except in my hands.  I was so wanting to try this fruit that I looked everywhere for months on end, but no luck.  Then I won a tropical fruit box that was filled to the brim with delicious fruit which I had never tried before or even seen in person.

And there it was... wrapped up so sweetly.  A single Dragon Fruit.

Buddha with Dragon Fruit

I actually jumped up and down with excitement.  Okay, actually I screamed like a little girl.  Out loud.  I'm sure my neighbors all heard me.

Anyway, I waited until the very last minute of ripeness to try this fruit.  Mark and I each took a taste and, to be perfectly honest, it was just okay.  It wasn't horrible mind you and had an okay taste factor, but perhaps I put too much into my pursuit of this interesting fruit and expected fireworks.  So I made us a couple smoothie parfaits with it and they were quite delicious. 

In any case, I finally got to try Dragon Fruit, and for that I am thankful.

Dragon Fruit Delight

Bottom layer:
1 1/2 cups strawberries
2 frozen ripe bananas
1 cup coconut water (adjust as needed)

Blend in high powered blender, pour into 2 glasses and set in freezer while making the next layer.

Top layer:
1 Dragon Fruit
1 frozen ripe banana

Blend well.  Remove glasses from freezer.  Gently pour or scoop onto the bottom layer of both glasses.  I garnished ours with chopped strawberries, coconut shreds and dragon fruit.

Enjoy!
Rocki

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

Chocolate Jam Swirl Smoothie

Chocolate Jam Swirl Smoothie

Just a quickie post for today.  Then again, this one doesn't need much of an intro. 

I'll sum it up.  Chocolaty.  Fruity.  Healthy.  Delicious.  Smoothie.  Easy recipe.

Chocolate Jam Swirl Smoothie

Jam Layer:
1 cup frozen blueberries (or fresh)
1 cup grapes
1 very small banana

Blend well and put in freezer while making next layer

Chocolate layer:
1 frozen banana
1 non-frozen banana
1 Tbs heaping cacao powder
enough water to blend with

Blend well.  Remove jam layer from freezer.  Alternately layer in glass and give a little swirl between layers.  Enjoy this lip smacking healthy smoothie treat.  It's one of my favorites that I keep making again and again and...

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

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

Green is the New Orange - Raw Vegan Smoothie

Green Smoothie - raw, vegan and gluten-free

Want a quick, nutritious and tasty way to start your day?  Try my Green is the New Orange smoothie.

One of the ingredients in this green smoothie is Matcha green tea powder.  Matcha is like no other green tea as you are ingesting the whole leaf and is 10 times more nutritious than other green tea's. You can drink it straight as a hot tea, add to smoothies or other recipes.  It has a very green, earthy herbal type flavor and aroma.  I love it and can drink it straight, but if you're not into greens, you may want to add sweetener to it.

The health benefits of Matcha are numerous and some are:
*Rich in nutrients
*Energy Booster, but *not* like caffeine - it is subtle, does not cause the jitters and provides 4-6 hours of mild steady energy
*Powerful Detoxifier and Antioxidant
*Boosts metabolism and burns calories
*Calms and relaxes while keeping you alert

It is said that over a thousand years ago Monks in Japan would drink Matcha tea during long meditation to keep them alert yet calm. This is due to Matcha is rich in L-Theanine.  But not all Matcha tea's are the same. I use Organic Ceremonial Grade which is a high grade quality powder - do your research.  One final note - if you're new to Matcha, start with 1/2 tsp for about 1 week then 1 tsp per day max - in my opinion.  I drink it almost every day and can definitely feel the benefits.

Green is the New Orange

2 handfuls spinach
1 tangelo
1/2 cup mango
2 bananas
1/2 cup water (adjust as needed)
1 Tbs flax meal
1 tsp Matcha

Blend until smooth and creamy, pour into mug and enjoy!

Peace☮
Rocki

Raw Carrot Cake Smoothie Bowl

Raw Vegan Carrot Cake Smoothie

I love carrots! Especially organic carrots.  Not just because they're clean, but they are also sweet and oh so tasty.

What steered me in this direction, to make this delectable smoothie creation, is the color orange.  Ever turn I made there it was - orange.  From carrots to fruits, clothing to flowers, the cool motorcycle I was behind and even my big knife with the orange handle.  So I took the hint and went from there.

Carrot Cake Smoothie Bowl

Gooey Crumble:
2 dates
small handful walnuts
pinch of cinnamon

With fork and knife, or hands, crumble together in the old fashioned way.  This is fun and gooey. Set aside.

Smoothie:
1 super large organic carrot or 2 average size
2 frozen bananas
1/4 cup hemp milk (or milk of choice. adjust as needed)
a few shakes of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg

Blend smoothie ingredients until creamy. It will be somewhat thick, but if you want it thinner, add some water a little at a time until you've reached the desired texture. 

Put a little of the gooey crumble at the bottom of bowl, mug or dish of choice - this is for when you've finished the smoothie, you can enjoy the last little bits.  Pour into dish. Stick gooey crumble on side of dish and lick fingers - this is so while you're enjoying the smoothie you can take a pinch, dip it in the bowl and pop it in your mouth.

Say it with me: mmmmmmmm!

Peace☮
Rocki

p.s.
If you want more of my recipes sooner than later, I post on IG (Instagram) daily.  While I do post regularly here on my new blog, sometimes life takes over and IG is quicker.  However, plans are to post more often here :)