Smoothie Additions: What to focus on when making your smoothie

Smoothies have become a staple in today’s diet for many health conscious individuals and are even available on many restaurant menus. They can make the perfect breakfast, but what should you really focus on when making or ordering your smoothie?

Protein, Fiber, Greens and Healthy Fats are the keys to a healthy power packed smoothie.

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Protein: protein is an important part of your smoothie, and will help keep you full until lunch. Protein also helps rebuild and repair your muscles after your morning workout, aiding in recovery. Check out some clean protein options for your smoothie HERE.

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Fiber: fiber can be a taboo topic, and many people are nervous about adding “too much fiber” into their diet. Fiber helps you poop. Yes, I said it. Fiber aids in elimination, it pulls waste and toxins from your body. This includes illness, disease, and toxic garbage from your body and gets rid of it. Think of it as a brillo pad cleaning the walls of your intestines… kind of amazing! Fiber is essential to every diet, and actually helps to keep you fuller longer and can aid is weight management.

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Greens: greens are probably my favorite addition because you can add a handful  (or two, bonus points!) of spinach or kale to your smoothie without altering the flavor. Spinach is the easiest green to add because it is so mild, it may turn your smoothie bright green, but you won’t taste it. This comes in especially handy with kids, great way to sneak in some more vegetables. 

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Healthy Fats: fats have received a bad rap for many years, but slowly our society is re-educating themselves on the importance of a healthy diet and healthy fats. Healthy fats are an essential to a healthy diet. They keep your body full by slowing the digestion of protein and other foods, they also help to heal the gut and repair damage from leaky gut, celiac and many other chronic gut conditions. Some of my favorite healthy fats are coconut oil, avocado, and nut butters.

Egg Muffin Recipe

Egg Muffin Recipe | Lean and Green Body® Blog

Egg Muffins

(gluten-free, sugar-free)

Makes 12 egg muffins

Looking for a quick and easy breakfast? Something healthy the kids will actually want to eat in the morning? We’ve got the solution!

Egg muffins are a nutritious and easy breakfast option for everyone in your family.

There are so many ways to modify and adjust the recipe to meet your dietary needs. For example, you can use egg whites instead of whole eggs to reduce cholesterol. Vegetarians can choose to exclude meat and substitute extra vegetables instead. For those of you who are dairy free, leave out the cheeses or use a cheese substitute.

Egg Muffin Recipe | Lean and Green Body® Blog

Ingredients:

  • 8 eggs

  • 1 onion

  • 2 slices of prosciutto

  • 1 red bell pepper

  • 3 TBSP Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F

  2. Place cupcake liners inside of cupcake tin (for this recipe we will use a 12 cupcake tin), spray the liners with coconut oil spray (sides and bottom).

  3. Crack all 8 eggs and whisk together in a bowl until smooth.

  4. Dice onion, and sauté in a pan with 1 tsp of avocado oil until the onion becomes translucent.

  5. Dice and clean red bell pepper and add to onion pan, cook until pepper becomes soft.

  6. Dice prosciutto, and add to pepper and onion in pan.

  7. Pour eggs evenly into cupcake tin, filling about halfway.

  8. Once vegetables are cooked, add vegetable mixture to the eggs. Adding approximately 1 tsp to each tin.

  9. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of each egg tin.

  10. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, depending on your oven.

Vegan Protein Options

Vegan Protein Options | Lean and green Body Blog

A common misconception is that vegans do not eat enough protein. The truth is spinach, per calorie, has more protein than red meat. Shocking? Can you become muscular, healthy, and fit by following a vegan lifestyle? YES!

Plant based proteins are packed full of essential vitamins, minerals, and so much protein. Spinach has 7 grams of protein per cup, and peas offer 9 grams of protein per cup. Your daily greens are packed with way more protein than you would initially think, right? Protein helps to keep your body full, create muscle, and helps to repair and rebuild our muscles after a workout. It is essential to everyone’s diet...vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free, or meat eater...everyone needs protein.

Quinoa - Vegan Protein Options | Lean and green Body Blog

Of all the grains available, quinoa is my favorite! Quinoa is not only gluten free and vegan, but it provides 8 grams of protein per cup. This is an excellent option instead of other traditional carbohydrate options like pasta and rice. Quinoa is a complex carbohydrate and will help to prevent spikes in blood sugar, keeping your energy steady after each meal. Quinoa can be substituted in the mornings for oatmeal, added to a salad at lunch, or mixed with pesto and vegetables at dinner. For those readers who are able to tolerate gluten, farro can be a great addition to your diet. Farro naturally contains 8 grams of protein per 1 cup of cooked farro, and is higher in carbohydrates and calcium than it’s quinoa counterpart, making it an excellent choice for athletes.

Tofu - Vegan Protein Options | Lean and green Body Blog

For those on a budget and looking for an inexpensive vegan option, tofu is a great choice, averaging only 50 cents per serving! One serving of tofu (approximately 4 ounces) has 9 grams of protein. Tofu can be added to your salads, smoothies, or bowl recipes.

Beans and legumes are excellent sources of protein and complex carbohydrates, making them a great pre- or post- workout fuel. Beans average approximately 14 grams of protein per cup, the highest on this list! Beans and legumes make a great addition to any meal.

Chia Seeds - Vegan Protein Options | Lean and green Body Blog

Chia seeds and flax seeds are another great vegan protein option, packed full of protein, omega 3’s, fiber, and healthy fats. These two superfoods are great additions to your smoothies, oatmeals, salads, and bowls. These seeds are versatile and easy to pack, making them a great on the go protein option. 

Product Review: FITTEAM Fit and Lean

Recently the Lean and Green Body team had the opportunity to try out FITTEAM FIT and LEAN, and we are loving it!

The FITTEAM LEAN is an organic, gluten free, vegan, kosher, and Non-GMO protein supplement that tastes great. As an avid gluten free vegan protein lover I sometimes worry that the shake will taste grainy or chalky, this one was surprising smooth and creamy.

The FITTEAM FIT was the supplement I was most interested in because it boosts your energy...something we can all use more of! This supplement is also organic, gluten free, vegan, kosher, and Non-GMO like the LEAN. FITTEAM claims that this supplement will boost your energy, control your appetite, enhance fat loss and improve focus...sold!

I can say that I felt a boost in energy, but not the jitter energy I receive from coffee. The FITTEAM helped me power through a long day at the office with no afternoon lull.

FITTEAM | Lean and Green Body Blog

Here is what Julia had to say:
“I tried the Blue FIT TEAM powder right after a really intense power workout, and I knew I had a long day ahead of me, so I needed some energy. Right off the bar, it tasted great! It also wasn’t at all powdery, and was easy to drink.

Almost immediately I felt more alert and focused on the tasks I had at hand. Within a few more minutes I felt super energized. Not the energized where you feel like your heart is about to burst through your chest, but the energized to where you can tell your whole body is there, in-sync, with you, ready to go, it was great!”

FITTEAM | Lean and Green Body Blog

Lauren made a killer smoothie with the FITTEAM LEAN.

FITTEAM | Lean and Green Body Blog
FITTEAM | Lean and Green Body Blog
FITTEAM | Lean and Green Body Blog

Interested in learning more about FITTEAM and their products?? Contact Teresa McDonald 612-669-5891 and mention this blog!