RAWly Smooth

Today, a good friend of mine asked me for some smoothie recipes to share as part of a cooking demonstration she's giving tomorrow.  Though the smoothies I've been into these days are all about UNcooking, I gladly came up with a few of my favorites to share with her and her clients.  As many of you know, I've been on a raw foods journey - committing to one raw food meal a day for one month - and smoothies are by far the easiest, most nutrient-dense and most filling meals I've experimented with, thus far.   Needless to say, I've been drinking A LOT of smoothies.  I've been working hard on getting my new website (www.pattiroads.com) up and running, so easy raw meals have been a must.  Here are the recipes for some of my favorites plus nutrition content information for each (you'll notice I'm ALL ABOUT the berries!).

Raspberry, Kiwi, Acai Mania

(Throw all of the ingredients in and blend 'em up - I make mine in my high speed Vitamix blender - add more or less liquids/ice to get your personal desired consistency)

• 2/3 cup frozen organic raspberries
• 1 cup of ice
• 2 fresh kiwis
• 2 tblsp. acai powder
• 1/3 cup organic coconut milk (I make mine fresh, but you can find organic canned)
• 1/2 inch nub of fresh ginger
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries

Nutrition benefits: This antioxidant smoothie is super high high in vitamins C, K, E, fiber, potassium, calcium, copper and folate.  While the ginger gives it a nice kick,  the miracle food, coconut provides many vitamins, minerals and electrolytes, including potassium, calcium and chloride.  The saturated fat in coconut is made up of short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids the body quickly turns into energy instead of storing as fat. Therefore, even though it's high in saturated fat, coconut can aid in weight loss.  Half the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut milk are composed of lauric acid, which is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-fungal - coconut milk can surely help boost the immune system.  The super berry acai adds omega fatty acids and Acai contains several substances called anthocyanins and flavonoids - powerful antioxidants that help defend the body against life's stressors. They also play a role in the body's cell protection system. Free radicals are harmful byproducts produced by the body. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants may interfere with aging and the disease process by neutralizing free radicals.

Pomegranate, Peach Perfection (I eat this one with a spoon)

• 1 package frozen peaches
• 1/4 cup raw cashews (I used almonds because I didn't have cashews and it was just as delish!)
• 1 tbsp.  Navitas Pomegranate Powder
• 1 tsp. raw honey
• 4 medjool dates, pitted
• water, ice or cocnut milk or raw cow's milk - your choice

Nutrition benefits:  This sweet and tangy smoothie is jam-packed with a number of the nutrients your body needs such as niacin, thiamine, potassium, and calcium beta carotene, an antioxidant that converts into vitamin A (essential for your heart and eyes).  All of this just from the peaches!  Medjool dates provide fiber, potassium and magnesium nutrients that defend us from heart disease and cancer.  Also high in antioxidants, Cashews are packing copper, manganese, tryptophan, magnesium,  and phosphorous to name just a few.  Raw honey is more digestible than any other sweetener, natural or artificial.  Raw honey contains Vitamin A, Beta-carotene, all the the B-Complex vitamins, vitamins C,D,E & K, in addition to the minerals Minerals magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus, iron, calcium, chlorine, potassium, iodine, sodium, copper and manganese.  Can't say that about refined white sugar, can you?  For more on raw honey - and there's TONS more - I like this overview:  Raw Honey.

Don't EVEN get me started on Pomegranate...

Pomegranate contains a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals, with especially notable amounts of vitamin C and potassium. It is also a powerful source of antioxidant phytoestrogens, polyphenols, and anti-inflammatory essential amino acids. Among the most important effects of this beneficial nutrient collection is the ability to inhibit free radicals (a biological component attributed to disease and aging). Remarkably, polyphenols may inhibit estrogen synthesis, and the oil from the pomegranate seed has been proven effective against the proliferation of breast cancer cells in vitro.

But there’s more. Pomegranate’s contribution to cardiovascular health has also been widely celebrated. In preliminary laboratory research and human pilot studies, juice of the pomegranate was shown effective in reducing heart disease risk factors: including LDL oxidation, macrophage oxidative status, and foam cell formation (important components of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease). Pomegranate juice has also been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure (inhibiting the serum angiotensin-converting enzyme), may inhibit viral infections, and can also have antibacterial effects against dental plaque.

As you and your family (kids LOVE them!) experiment with smoothies, remember to have fun and don't be afraid to make up your own concoction - smoothies are hard to mess up.  Know that you're giving your body tasty, nutritious living foods that will above all, make you feel great!

On another note, going (partially) raw has inspired me to dive even deeper into the healthy world of living raw foods...I've decided to do a more in depth study of raw foods with David Wolfe.  Yahooooo!

Be inspired.  Eat well.  Live well.  Be happy.

Love, Patti