Green Smoothies with Aloe Juice, Weird Fruit Things and Christmas Trees

We have finally unpacked everything that we were planning on unpacking at our new place and are slowly getting acclimated. One side of the garage is packed to the ceiling with the other stuff that we aren't going to unpack, but there's plenty of space for one of the cars on the other side of the garage. That's "Little Red's" spot when we bring him down after Christmas.

I have found a new hair place, new nail place, two new vets for Phantom (one is a cancer specialist), new places to shop, etc. There's an overabundance of grocery stores and pharmacies in the area in all directions around us. Take your pick. We also found a farmer's market that is very, very close. The produce is AMAZING! My green smoothies have never tasted better.

While at the farmer's market we discovered this Aloe juice drink. It comes in different fruity flavors that are all good, but I really like the pineapple flavor the best. We have been adding this to the green smoothies. The Murph takes his produce and protein powder to work and makes his smoothie for lunch sometimes.

I really love this New Zealand whey protein powder made from grass fed cows. I feel healthier just reading the label!

We decided to try these for the first time. They are like grapefruits, only sweeter and were very good, but I have no idea what they are called. Pommelo or something... maybe.... ??

Yes, Pomelo. (I had to google it) They are the grandparents of the grapefruit. (that's what google said)

I still add cilantro and kale and a few different fruits, usually a banana and pear or strawberries. I add the cilantro because it helps remove toxins, such as mercury, from the body and I had high levels when I tested two or three years ago. I haven't retested yet to see if the mercury levels have gone down, but hopefully they have.

 It doesn't hurt continuing to eat the cilantro and I still have one silver filling left in my tooth so until I get it out, I will assume I am still getting mercury leaching out of it. I can't wait to have NO silver fillings left in my mouth. I had no idea the dangers of them when I had them put in.

Finding a local dentist is another thing on my list!

The cats have settled in somewhat. Phantom is okay wherever we are. Ed is pretty cool and laid back too.

 Cadence - not so much! He disappears up under the box springs during nap time and we don't see him for awhile. He feels safer there.

I put two Christmas trees up over Thanksgiving weekend. These are the only two trees I moved down here. All the others were given to charity. I really miss my big, gynormous tree, but it was too heavy to move and was over 10 years old anyway. Time to buy another big tree when we purchase our own house down here. After this move, I'm all for getting rid of everything rather than moving it. Packing, moving it, then unpacking it....

Next time I think I'll just get rid of everything, move with nothing and start over with all new stuff!

Yeah!

Why Green Smoothies?

I know I've done posts on this before, but I feel the need to do it again so click away now if your not interested in having more energy, glowing skin, reversing the aging process... well, you get the picture.

I started drinking green smoothies two years ago when I found out I had high levels of mercury and it was suggested that I start eating more cilantro. While I ate a small amount of cilantro in salsa and other mexican dishes, I felt I needed a way to get more of it in my system the fastest, least offensive way. About the same time the cilantro was recommended, I was reading about kale, how great it is and how everyone was putting it in their green smoothies. I decided those were the two ingredients I needed on a regular basis. I purchased a Vitamix which is GREAT! It blends everything up fast and very fine. Not like the blender I'm having to use now because the Vitamix is still in Birmingham. Temporarily!

I just can't tell you how much better I feel and how much better my skin looks since drinking these. I have one a day, 3 to 5 days a week. I add whatever fruits we have on hand, almost always a banana, cranberry juice, vanilla almond milk, protein powder, turmeric, cinnamon, flax seed (ground), sometimes walnuts, berries, pear, apple - whatever we have on hand. I usually add at least 2 or 3 fruits.

My husband thinks I over do it, but I'm always adding lots of things to it. It's a great way to get large amounts of greens and fruit, which I wouldn't do if it wasn't all blended together in smoothie form. I even added herbs last summer from our garden. Basil, mint and rosemary are particularly good. I add honey too since I like it a little more sweet and 2 handfuls of ice because it tastes much better cold. In the above smoothie, I even added a little avocado. I've added beets before, but they have a very strong taste. I felt like the cilantro and beets were battling out on my taste buds. Not good!! Healthy though!

Here's a list of most of the things I have added to my green smoothie and the health benefits of each. I always add Kale, Cilantro, Banana, Turmeric, Cinnamon, Protein Powder, Cranberry Juice and Honey. The other things are interchangeable.

Kale - Vitamin K, magnesium, iron, fiber, great detox food among other things. Read more about health benefits Here.

Cilantro - detoxing, binds with mercury and removes it from tissues, antibacterial, anti inflammatory

Banana - High in potassium, energy food

Walnuts- oleic acid, Omega 3.  Read the many health benefits Here.

Flax Seed- Omega 3's, fiber (better ground these babies good!)

Beets- Natural liver detox, cleanses the blood

Avocado - healthy fat, helps body absorb some nutrients, Vitamin E, lowers cholesterol

Cranberry Juice - good for kidney and bladder health although I use the diet version so I don't know how strong that is or if it has enough cranberry in it to do any good but it is the "water" for my smoothie so it isn't too thick.

Almond Milk - Vitamin E for skin health, Vitamin A for eye health, Vitamin D, more nutrients than regular dairy milk. I like the Vanilla unsweetened Almond Milk. Great in cereal too!

Protein Powder- amino acids for muscle repair and rebuild. Read more of the benefits Here.

Turmeric - anti-inflammatory, cancer fighting, heart health, anti-oxidant. GREAT stuff!

Cinnamon - regulates blood sugar, heart health. Read more benefits Here.

Berries - flavonoids and phytochemicals, help fight mental decline, heart health, diabetes

Pear- antioxidants, fight free radicals, heart health and makes a tasty green smoothie!

Apple-read the many benefits Here. My favorite health benefit of apples is quercetin - an antioxidant, anti inflammatory, also found to increase endurance and athletic performance. Quercetin is also  found in red wine so drink up!!

Basil- powerful antioxidant, anti-ageing benefits. Read more benefits Here.

Mint- soothes aches, pains and stomach problems, antiseptic and antibacterial, freshens breath

Rosemary- fights cancer, improves memory among many other things to many to list. Read more Here.

Honey- anti fungal, improves athletic performance, natural sweetener that makes smoothie taste great. Many more benefits Here.

Ginger Root - Soothes stomach, aids in digestion

Have I forgotten anything? What do you add to your green smoothies?