Mint Chocolate (Green) Protein Smoothie

Now that it's getting hot here in the deep south, I've been craving cooler foods. But after an intense gym sesh something light is not what I want! So today I awkward-walked (my legs guys, my legs!) into the kitchen and searched the refrigerator for something to fulfill my cooling yet filling craving after the gym. The solution? Chocolate + peppermint. A classic combination usually found in desserts and sweets, but now being made to work for you to refuel your body with the good stuff! Yeah!!

The results were less appealing looking than I'd hoped for, but let me promise you that one sip and you'll be in Andes Candies peppermint heaven.

Mint Chocolate (Green) Protein Smoothie

• 2 Frozen Bananas
• 3 Cups Fresh Spinach (Packed)
• Handfull of Fresh Mint Leaves
• 1/2 tsp Spirulina 
• 1/2 tsp Wheatgrass Powder
• 1 Tbsp Flax Meal
• 2 Tbsp Chia Seeds
• 2 Tbsp Cacao Nibs (add these later if you want them to be "chips")
• 3 Tbsp Cacao Powder
• 1/2 tsp Pure Peppermint Extract
• 1/2 Cup Chocolate Coconut Water
• 1/2 Cup Vanilla Coconut Milk (or preferred non-dairy milk)
• 1 Cup Ice

Place all ingredients into your blender and go to town! If you prefer more a a mint chocolate chip smoothie, add the cacao nibs after everything else has been blended and pulse a couple times.

Enjoy!

xx

Erin

Springtime Power Yoga Playlist

Hello lovelies! It's almost the weekend, meaning there's more time for the things we love like yoga. It has been busy around here recently with travel and big career moves (exciting stuff), but one thing we like to keep steady around here is a yoga practice.

We all know studio classes can be expensive, and practicing at home can be a great way to enjoy yoga without breaking the bank. All you need is a basic understanding of the poses, a yoga mat, perhaps a YouTube video or two, and some great music!

                                                   Photo By: Soumya Sidana, 2014
                                                                           A little throwback to life at the beach.


This 1 hour playlist starts out slow, to work your way into your practice. Followed by some upbeat tunes to get your groove going, finally winding down for a 5-10 minutes Savasana. I love to start with the 6 movements of the spine, followed by a flowing practice that incorporates longer and longer holds, ending in Savasana (palms up, eyes closed).

Enjoy! xx

Vanilla Chai Spice Almond Oatmeal Smoothie

I don't know about you, but I love a nice chai latte. But warmer weather is coming and it's time for something chilled. This chai smoothie is creamy, full of flavor, and satisfying without tons of extra sugar or caffein. Feel free to play around with the recipe and add other things you might like in your smoothie, including protein powder, cacao powder, chia seeds, yogurt, or perhaps another type of fruit that you like with chai. If you do want it to be a chai tea smoothie try adding some black tea!

The oatmeal adds a nice richness to the smoothie and keeps you full for longer. A high-power blender like a Vitamix or Ninja works best to make the oatmeal smooth. But don't worry if you don't have a high-powered blender, just let your blender run for a longer time!


Let me know how you made this smoothie your own!

Vanilla Chai Spice Almond Oatmeal Smoothie

• 2 Frozen Bananas
• 2 Giant Spoonfuls of Almond Butter
• 2-4 tsp. Chai Spice*
• 1 tsp. Maca Powder
• 2 Tbsp. Flax Seed
• 1/2-3/4 Cup Rolled Oats
• 1/2 Cup Vanilla Coconut Milk
• 1/2 Cup Almond Milk
• 1/2-1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• Honey (To Taste)
• 3/4-1 Cup Ice

Place all ingredients in a blender in order and run until smooth. Drizzle the top with more honey if desired. 

*Chai Spice can often be found in the bulk spice section. If it's unavailable near you try this recipe (Inspired by Fox In the Kitchen):

• 2 tsp. Ground Cardamom
• 2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Ground Cloves
• 1 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
• 1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
• 1 tsp. Ground Allspice 
• 1 tsp. Ground Ginger

Protein Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie

I'll admit I've been a bit remiss in posting with moving to the "big city" and all that. It's strange getting settled into a new place, and some semblance of a normal life is finally starting to form. What that means yet, I'm not quite sure. But I started Kayla Itsines's Bikini Body Guide (lovingly nicknamed "BBG") a few weeks ago, which makes for a nice start to getting stronger after my spinal injury nearly 1 year ago. It's been a slow road, but two of my friends have joined in on this fitness journey along with all the support from the online community. It's beautiful, really!

While I'm not a big proponent of calorie counting, I am a big fan of clean eating. But sometimes after a challenging workout or stressful day, you just want to dive into a big bowl of chocolaty goodness! Guys I cannot begin to tell you how much I love, love, love Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Seriously. This smoothie will help cure your dessert and chocolate cravings (perhaps those Reese's cravings if you're like me), while packing in the protein at the same time!

Protein Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie

The smoothie in the picture is a double serving if you've got a monster chocolate craving or are sharing with a friend. The recipe below is for a single-sized smoothie.

• 3 Frozen Bananas
• 3/4 Cup Unsweetened Vanilla Flavored Non-Dairy Milk (Coconut, Almond, etc.)
• 4 Tbsp. Raw Cacao Powder
• 1/3 Cup Creamy Natural Peanut Butter
• 1 Serving Vegan Protein Powder (Chocolate or Vanilla flavored is best, check package for serving size)
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Throw all ingredients into high speed blender until thick and smooth. Pour into glass and enjoy!