Melon Basil Smoothie

YumseriousY! I just tried this awesome smoothie for lunch today and had to share.

Melon Basil Smoothie

1/6 of a cantaloupe
1 large handful of strawberries
1 small handful of leafy greens
1 large handful of basil leaves
1 pinch of sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp Stevia or honey
water to desired consistency (about 1 cup or less)
optional: 1 Tbsp Chia Seed* (softened in water) or 1 Tbsp milled flax seed OR BOTH!

Blend until smooth. Enjoy!

*Stay tuned for more on Chia Seed and its health benefits.

Quinoa and Beet Salad

Beets...I love this wonderful earthy root vegetable! They are in season June through October, so go out and pick some up at your local farmers market – gold and red. Garden-beet is very low in calories and fat; but is very rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. Here is a recipe I tried for the first time over the week-end and we loved it!



Quinoa and Beet Salad

6 small golden beets, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar, plus additional to taste
1 garlic clove, smashed
1/2 tsp kosher salt plus pinch and additional to taste
1/4 teaspoon sugar – I use Stevia :)
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp pine nuts
2 cups baby arugula (I used garden lettuce and it worked fine)
2 ounces crumbled feta
Freshly ground pepper

1. In a pot with a steamer basket, steam the beets until tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer beets to a large bowl and toss with 2 tbsp each of the oil and vinegar; mix in the garlic, salt and sugar. Let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in another pot, bring the 2 cups water to a boil. Stir in the quinoa and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork and let cool.
3. In a small skillet over medium heat, warm remaining oil. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Pour pine nuts and oil over quinoa and toss.
4. Remove garlic from beets. Add quinoa and the arugula and cheese to beets and toss well. Season with vinegar, salt and black pepper to taste. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Nutrition facts per serving: (4 servings) 436 calories, 14 g protein, 50 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat (2 g saturated), 7 g fiber.

Maca Root Powder

After my whole adrenal gland stuff, I began reading about natural ways to support my adrenals and hormones. Maca Root kept coming up, so I ran it by my compound pharmacist (Dan Mourdry, Moudry's Compound Pharmacy in Oakdale) and he agreed that I would benefit from Maca Root Powder. So he ordered me up a bottle and I began adding it to my smoothies.

Maca Root is a root plant grown in the Andes Mountains and used to balance hormones by directly working with the endocrine system. Maca acts as a type of reset button for your endocrine system by stimulating your body to bring itself back into balance. Balance is reached by the restoration of normal hormone levels. These hormones are responsible for fertility, energy levels, sexual function, and the nervous system. This natural ingredient is a perfect way to balance your system.

It has a wonderful taste, almost like a malted flavor, which is perfect for your Superfood Smoothies!

Here is a link that provides more information on Maca Root.
http://www.macarootpowder.org