Smoothies, Gojis, Ice Cream And Donuts. Yum!

As most of you know, I'm all about eating healthy. Well, sometimes that thought goes right out the window.
During Thanksgiving (after the pies were all gone!) somebody had the bright idea of going to a famous, local donut shop, for a "bucket" of donuts. I kid you not. Did I protest? Yeah, right!!

Told ya!

Everyone ran to pick their favorite one. I cannot tell a lie... I did too!

Here ya go, Dude. How about a donut as big as your head?! ( Kids on a sugar-rush! We all paid the price later!!)

The oldest grandbrat picked one that looked like a creepy guy, with a stake in his chest.
Her sister wasn't feeling well, so there are no photos of her. She did, however, grab a donut and run. :)

I have to admit, writing this post right now and looking at these photos... well... makes me want a dang donut!!!!

The little one liked hers too.

A lot.

She also likes playing with food.

Like tiny pieces of a toy pizza.

As it turns out, she loves Goji Berries. Loves them! It started out as a game, because I was trying to get her to eat something healthy.

I'd lay them out in a line and she'd pick them up, one by one and shove them in her mouth.

And there they are.

I also showed her big sister how to make healthy ice cream, from frozen fruit.

Big brother knows how to do it too now.

And here's she is... the food critic. It was a big hit!!

But what she reeeally loves are my green smoothies!!

Daddy's fruit smoothie... not so much. ~





There are SO many things to love!
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Thank you.




Signing off for now,
gabriele

Home Again, Home Again - And Missing Everyone Already

I was visiting family in Atlanta, during the recent snow storm.

What's wrong with me?! (The snow part, not the family.)

As beautiful as snow makes the surroundings look -

Gimme my California sunshine and high temperatures!

Of course, now I miss everyone already. :(

Two of my grandbrats.

And another one.

And her again.

But wait -

There's more.

Here's my gorgeous pal -

Mom of the two blonde brats.

Speaking of...

Here's one -

Really, really concentrating on his new "DSI".

(Love the toes.)

Love the hair too.

And the kid.

And all of the screamin' brats!!

This one already knows the "I can't heeear youuu." ??!

How'd that happen?! Trouble's on the horizon!

Here they are, visiting me in my room...

Oh, did I mention that I was sick with Bronchitis for the holidays?

A real bummer.

They had a birthday party for me, at my bedside.

Oh, did I mention that I was sick with Bronchitis for my birthday?

Double bummer.

BUT, a cheesecake from the "Cheese Cake Factory" took my mind off of it!

So did these.

No, I didn't share!

As some of you know, I'm a raw-foodist, supposedly eating only healthy things.

BUT, I'm also a sugar-addict, so once I get started - look out!!

(In their defense, they didn't get me started.

I'd already hit the little corner store for my sugar-fix, days before the cake arrived.)

I bought and ate junk-food until the day it was time to leave.

Here's what I had at the airport.

Not too bad?

Well, I had two.

One before my flight and one before my connecting flight.

How beautiful is that?!

I woke up from a power-nap and thought, "Look at all that snow!" Duh.

During the flight I had these.

Two bags.

They're small.

And these.

My last hoorah, before getting back home and having this...

Greens, greens, and more greens!!!!

And my healthy green-smoothies!

Yum!!

So, I got home and was telling my husband about the four donuts, I ate at one sitting. :-*

The next day he surprised me with these...

Did I say, "No"? Of course not!

Did I share? Of course not!

Sugar-addiction is a terrible thing.

While I was sick and in the hospital, I'd lost seven pounds.

When I got home -

I'd gained six and a half of them back!

Sugar-addiction is a terrible thing.

Now, it's back to these babies, when I want something sweet!

(These don't give me headaches, or an upset stomach, or make me feel all spacey and stupid!)

Speaking of 'something sweet' -

This was the last little face I saw (my shadow!) before I left Atlanta.

(She was supposed to stay in bed. :)

I love and miss them!!

"In two decades I've lost a total of 789 pounds.

I should be hanging from a charm bracelet."

- Erma Bombeck

"Just think of all the women on the Titanic that said,

'No thank you' to dessert that night".

- Erma Bombeck

"Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died."

- Erma Bombeck

For more on:

Raw-food versus the Standard American Diet

There are SO many things to love!

I love "Followers" and comments too!

(Thank you!)

Signing off for now,

gabriele

Green Smoothies

I love green-smoothies.

I have one for breakfast every morning.

They're full of vitamins, enzymes, minerals, antioxidants and chlorophyll.

I'm not a morning person, but these puppies give me a ton of energy

to start my day!

I'm not even hungry until past noon! (The time I'd like to get up.)

I vary the greens and fruits.

On this day, I used some Red Chard, Collards, Spinach, Celery and Parsley.

I try to use only organic produce and fruit, whenever possible.

I also add two - three cups of water.

(Make sure your blender jar is large enough to hold all of that.)

I only use one or two Collard leaves, because they have a strong flavor.

I also remove the tough stem. I just slide the leaf off.

I use one piece of fruit, when making green-smoothies for myself,

because I don't like them too sweet.

But when I make them for our grandchildren, (or my husband :)

or anyone trying them for the first time, I add another piece.

Maybe even a date, for extra sweetness.

(Wimps!)

Everything gets a good bath, before it goes into the blender.

I make sure to cut off the 'organic' stickers. Sometimes there are two, or three.

I like knowing that it's organic, but I'm not a fan of eating the dang stickers.

(It happens.)

I also add two - three tablespoons of Goji Berries and Hemp Seeds.

I switch off using the Hemp Seeds with Chia Seeds and Sesame Seeds.

(Protein.)

I read that it's important not to eat the same thing every day,

so as not to get allergies to that certain food.

With the many food allergies I've had most of my life -

I'm not about to try to prove them wrong!

(But I think chocolate should be exempt.)

I have great knives, a good cutting board, and a fabulous Sous Chef!

But I just tear the greens and shove them into the blender.

I'm all about making it as easy and fast as possible.

("Iron Chef"- I'm not.)

I use the BlendTec blender and it's a real work-horse!

Here are some stats:

Commercial-quality, 1,560-watt, 3 horse-power motor !!

Pre-programmed blending cycles, digital touch-pad controls,

auto shut-off. And much more -

which I'm too lazy to type.

On those rare occasions it tastes a little nasty, here's a trick -

I add a peeled and diced lemon!

I leave on the white part - the pith. It's full of healthy stuff.

This time I do cut the lemon, because it will bounce around, otherwise.

Heeere it is -

A healthy way to start the day!!

And give you energy throughout the day!!

Not just for adults...

Even our granddaughter likes them!

(She sometimes uses a straw. Pink, of course.)

And our grandson!

(But I have to admit, he likes his sweet, sweet, sweet!!)

Even our newest granddaughter likes them!

(That was her first time trying a green-smoothie,

and she kept reaching for more!)

If you'd like to try green-smoothies, and I hope you do,

I'd like to suggest this fabulous book, by Victoria Boutenko.

You can find it - and a slew of her other books and DVDs -

on her website: Raw Family.

I leave you with these words of wisdom:

"Think of nourishing the body rather than eating."

- Ann Wigmore

You may also like:

Raw Food, Desserts And Green Smoothies - For Kids.

Dessert And Granddaughters - What's Not To Love?

There are SO many things to love!

I love "Followers" and comments too!

(Thank you!)

Signing off for now,

gabriele