Frozen Hot Chocolate

Now, I know that this is not a "healthy treat". However, if you are going to splurge once in a while, might as well get filled up so that you don't need to snack on anything else!

Ingredients

• 3 oz. chocolate pieces ( I like Trader Joe's Belgium Dark Chocolate)
• 1 Tablespoon hot chocolate mix  
• 1 Tablespoons sugar or 1 packet Truvia
• 1 1/2 cups milk, used in two parts (skim or almond, if you don't want to go too overboard!)

• 3 cups ice
• 1 packet ThinStick™
• Whipped cream (optional)

Directions

Break the chocolate pieces into smaller chunks and put in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted. Once melted, add the hot chocolate mix and sugar. Stir until combined. Slowly add ½ cup of milk until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

In a blender, place the remaining cup of milk, the room-temperature chocolate mixture, ThinStick™ and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth. Pour into a large glass and top with whipped cream (optional).

Decadent Chocolate Recovery Smoothie

This smoothie is great to drink after an intense workout. The protein/sugar balance helps your muscles repair and recover faster. Enjoy! It's not only good for you, it tastes good and will keep you full for hours!

Ingredients:
(Serves 2)

• 2 cup of milk
• 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon dry chocolate pudding mix
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 banana
• 1 cups ice
• 2 scoops ThinStick Shake or 1 packet ThinStick

Pineapple Pleasure

Pineapple is a great source of vitamin C, B1 and smaller amounts of B2, B3, B5 and B6.  It is also an loaded with manganese, copper, magnesium, potassium, beta-carotene, folic acid, and dietary fiber.
A unique feature of pineapple is it's Bromelain contents. Bromelain has the special ability to help our body balance and neutralize fluids so that it's neither too alkaline nor too acidic.



Bromelain is a protein-digesting enzyme which also reduces inflammation and swelling. People who suffer from aches and pains, drink up! Drinking pineapple juice after a meaty meal helps your bodies digestion, as the protein-digesting enzymes help do the extra work of digesting for you.


As pineapple juice has an anti-inflammatory effect, it can can be beneficial for people who suffer from Gout, arthritis, and recent injuries or surgeries. Drinking pineapple juice also reduces the soreness and redness in the throat.

Eat it fresh: A few hours before you plan to eat the pineapple, cut off the crown and then turn the fruit upside down on a plate and leave in the fridge.  The sweeter juice at the bottom of the pineapple will be nicely distributed throughout the entire fruit when turned over!

Pineapple Smoothie- Combine the following ingredients:
1 cup fresh pineapple (cubed) 
1 cup light coconut milk
2 scoops ThinStick™ Shake, or 1 packet ThinStick™
7+ ice cubes (to desired consistency)

Blend until smooth, enjoy!






Pineapple fact information source: Juicing-for-health.com

Cranberry Madness Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 cup of frozen cranberries
• 1 pear
• 1 cup spinach
• 3-4 mint leaves
• 1 banana
• 1 cup of coconut water
• 1 cup of ice
• 2 scoops ThinStick™ Shake or one packet ThinStick™

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend til smooth. Fill up your thermos and enjoy your morning of antioxidant rich delightfulness!

Drink Your Greens!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of frozen cranberries
• 1 apple (peeled)
• 1 pear
• 2 leaves of collard greens
• 1 bunch of mixed baby greens
• 3-4 mint leaves
• 1 banana
• 1 cup of coconut water
• 1 cup of ice
•  2 Scoops ThinStick™ Shake

Banana Bread ThinStick™ Shake

 

Ingredients:

• 2 scoops ThinStick™ Shake
• 1 Banana
• 1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal (*prepared)
• 3/4 Cup Bran Flakes
• 1 Cup water
• 1 Cup ice
• Sweetener of choice to taste

* Cook oatmeal as directed with water in microwave or stove top, place in refrigerator to cool. 

Super Easy Smoothie

Ingredients:
1 cup water
2 scoops ThinStick™ Shake
3/4 cup frozen fruit (peaches, blueberries, strawberries, etc)
1 apple or 1/2 banana
handful of ice cubes

Directions:
Add ingredients in order as listed, blend until smooth!

Servings: 1
Prep time: less than 5 mins

Remembering basic structure like 8 oz of water for 2 scoops Shake and adding 1-2 servings of fruit can help you feel more confident in your smoothie variations using ThinStick™.  Just remember to avoid acidic foods like oranges and lemons because these can reduce the effectiveness of ThinStick™.

Peaches and Green!

Servings: 2 (reduce by half if you just want one smoothie)

Ingredients:
1 apple
1 banana (peeled)
1 Tangelo or Orange or 3 small tangerines (*exclude if incorporating ThinStick into the smoothie)
1 cup Greek Yogurt -or- 2 scoops ThinStick™ Shake
1 cup romaine lettuce, tightly packed
1 cup frozen white peach slices
1/4 cup pomegranate juice or seeds
8-10 ice cubes (more or less as needed to reach desired consistency)

Directions:
Layer ingredients in blender, with orange(if using) and bananas first, then the remaining non-frozen ingredients followed by frozen ingredients on top. We have noticed that adding the frozen ingredients to the top helps prevent the blender from clogging and makes for a more uniform smoothie texture.


*Remember- ThinStick does not work as well when combined with citrus foods or juices. So exclude these items from your recipe, may be substituted with additional apple or additional peaches.

Summer Blast Smoothy

Ingredients:
1 frozen banana
1 1/2 cup frozen/fresh boysenberries (if using fresh, you may add a few large ice cubes for consistency)
1 large or 2 small nectarines, pit removed
1 Tbsp Flax Seed
1 packet ThinStick
1 cup rice milk

Blend all ingredients together for a nutrition and delicious smoothie that will hold you all the way from early morning through your lunch hour.

Thin Tip) Whenever your bananas start to get too ripe for your taste preference, peel them and place them in plastic bags in your freezer. These are great additions to any smoothy. They add sweetness with out adding refined sugars!

A Fresh Morning

Kick off your weekend morning with a mouth-watering smoothie for breakfast! Then take a jog, hike, walk, run, or if the weather isn't permitting you to do so, head off to the gym or do indoor exercises at home!

        Sunny Start Smoothie

             2 bananas - cut

             2 Tbsp. honey

             1 Mango 

             1-2 sticks of ThinStick

           


                                                                       

            Blueberry Blast

            1/2 cup of fresh blueberries

            1/2 banana

            1/2 cup ice

            1 scoop vanilla ThinStick Shake

                                           Be Healthy and You'll Be Happy. 

Trick or Treat?

Mothers often struggle to get their children to eat fruits and vegetables...but mostly vegetables. So how can you overcome this and get them to eat an adequate amount of daily fruits and vegetables each day? My suggestion..trick them with a treat!

"Sweet Green Smoothie"
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 frozen banana
4 strawberries
1/2 cup peach slices
1 kiwi unpeeled
1 kale leaf
1/4 cup of plain or vanilla yogurt
4 baby carrots
1/2 cup yellow squash
1 tsp flax seed
1 tbsp old fashioned oats
1/2 cup cold water
4 ice cubes

Random ideas:

• Mix carrots, spinach, and zucchini into spaghetti sauce or other sauces
• Finely mince vegetables into hamburger patties or turkey burgers
• Minced vegetables into tuna for sandwhiches
• Put carrots or advocados in smoothies (it's good, trust me!)
• Homemade soups with a lot of vegetables
• Put banana on peanut butter toast for breakfast
• Add spinach to pancakes
• Vegetable Pizza
• Vegetable Omelets

Thirsty Thursday

Blueberry Blast Smoothie

1/2 cup nonfat milk or try soy milk
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 cup frozen unsweetened blueberries
1 teaspoon honey
1 ThinStick

Excellent source of calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. It's also a good source of fiber, manganese, phosphorus, riboflavin, and vitamin D.