I am on a health kick! Hopefully just in time to be svelte for Europe (I’m only kinda kidding), Mom and I are doing a get-toned-in-14-days exercise routine from a magazine. Along with working out 6 days a week, I am trying to make some healthier eating choices. Lest you think I’m being extreme, I have had cake and ice cream this week, but I’m eating less dairy in general and lots of fruits and vegetables! (Thankfully the parents are members of a CSA, which means we have all kinds of fresh local produce on hand.)

Today’s health food creation is a delicious GREEN smoothie! Ingredients:

That’s a frozen banana, two hand-fulls of baby spinach, some strawberries, 1 cup of almond milk, and a good squeeze of local honey. Blend them all together along with a couple of ice cubes…

And enjoy! Tastes best in a mason jar. 

This smoothie is packed with nutrients: Niacin, Zinc, Protein, Vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B6, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorous, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. I’ve already put another banana in the freezer.

Part of my recent thinking about eating healthier and continuing to reduce my consumption of animal-based foods comes from a documentary I have now watched twice and recommended to many, Forks over Knives. If you’ve seen me in the past three weeks, I’ve probably told you about it. The movie makes a very compelling case for adhering to a whole-foods, plant-based diet based on connections between meat/dairy and degenerative diseases, primarily cancer and heart disease. I am currently far from being vegan, but I’m convinced that we don’t NEED animal-based foods to survive, and would be better off without them in our diets. So, I’m on a journey. Check out the film!