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Whole Foods: Smoothies

DenaJanuary 21, 2014

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Back in November, I mentioned that I would be making a big push toward a “whole foods” diet. It’s been going really well. At home, we eat about a 90% whole food diet. (Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible, before being consumed. Whole foods typically do not contain any additives. Examples of whole foods include unpolished grains, beans, fruits, vegetables and non-homogenized dairy products. Originally [and naturally] all food is whole food. The term whole foods is often confused with organic food, but whole foods are not necessarily organic, nor are organic foods necessarily whole.)

One of the biggest factors contributing to my success has been my breakfast smoothie. At least four mornings each week, I make a fresh smoothie packed with raw fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. It energizes me and keeps me full until lunchtime. My smoothies might be boosting my immunity, too. It could be because I try to keep myself (and Roman!) away from germs, but it’s more likely because of all of the vitamins I’m getting in my smoothies. Even though everyone around us has been sick this winter, we’ve avoided it so far. Knock on wood!

My smoothie varies every day, but they always include some variation of my staple ingredients:

  • raw kale
  • banana
  • frozen berries
  • almond milk
  • raw chia seeds
  • raw sunflower seeds
  • raw cashews
  • raw almonds
  • raw spinach
  • natural peanut butter

As for preparing the smoothies, I just make sure that everything is clean and then I toss it in the blender. I use a Ninja — it’s super easy to use and to clean. And that’s really it. It’s working out well and I plan to keep it up.

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Ever since the start of the new year, I’ve been working hard to stay healthy & positive. I’ll be posting about my progress along the way. If you’ve got any advice, smoothies recipes, or questions, please pop them in the comments!


This post was sponsored by Alomune, a daily pre-biotic supplement that helps you stay strong all year long. For more healthy living ideas & inspiration, please visit the Alomune Healthy Living blog, their Facebook page, Pinterest or join the conversation on Twitter.

Comments (9)

  • Kay

    January 21, 2014 at 12:10 pm

    I love smoothies! My favorite one is kale, spinach, kiwi, mango, blueberries, starfruit, chia seeds, and a bit of coconut water. Soo good!

    1. Dena

      January 23, 2014 at 4:33 pm

      Mmm.. that sounds so good! Have to try it.

  • Suzy

    January 21, 2014 at 12:33 pm

    I need to start up smoothies again when it starts to get warmer. It’s such an easy and yummy way to get in your veggies. But even cereal this morning was too cold.

    Coconut oil has been my fav thing lately. It’s one of those supers foods that’s good for everything. I put it in my coffee and I’ve baked a little with it too. And I put it on Sam’s cheeks and bum everyday since its moisturizing and antimicrobial.

    1. Dena

      January 23, 2014 at 4:34 pm

      Yea, I feel you on the coldness factor. And mine are especially cold since usually put in frozen fruit. I end up letting it “warm up” a little before I drink it. We need to invent a warm smoothie. ;]

  • dominique

    January 21, 2014 at 4:35 pm

    2 large stalks of kale(leaves only), 2 kiwi fruit, 1 banana, 1 mango cheek, 2 cups of kefir and a squeeze of lemon juice, blend. Yum!

    1. Dena

      January 23, 2014 at 4:34 pm

      Sounds good! Have to try it. Thanks for sharing!

  • Andrea

    January 21, 2014 at 11:15 pm

    I love morning smoothies, and so does my little guy! I never thought about using sunflower seeds. I switched to using coconut milk instead of almond (mostly because I like the flavor a bit better).

  • Crista at Hands and Hearts More Than Full

    January 22, 2014 at 7:00 pm

    I think I’ll join you with the shole foods eating. I did it before GUNG-HO and lost 17 lbs. right away! I have a 50 lb. goal so girlfriend I can use all the friends I can get 🙂 Let’s do this!

    1. Dena

      January 23, 2014 at 4:35 pm

      Awesome! So excited to have you join in and can’t wait to hear about your progress. My goal (for now!) is 30 pounds. Let’s do this, mama! <3

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