Sweet Spinach Smoothie

 

Sweet Spinach Smoothie

Sweet Spinach Smoothie

Looking ahead to spring you may be thinking , as I am, that you’d like to rid yourself of those few pounds that somehow sneaked on when you weren’t looking.  Ah, yes, this has been a winter for comfort foods, and for some reason comfort foods are the ones that put on the pounds.

One way to lose enjoyably(?) is to sip away the pounds.  Juice cleanses are not the best idea, in my opinion, but a healthy nutritious smoothie just may be the best kept secret around.  This blended beverage offers you tons of nutrition as well as protein and fiber to help keep you full from breakfast to lunch, or from lunch till dinner.

I guess I was a latecomer in discovering the goodness and benefits of smoothies.  But now that I’m on board I’ve been having one for breakfast, and one for lunch.  Then a regular meal for dinner, being careful to watch portion size, and with  carefully selected complex carbohydrates.

I’ve been experimenting with a variety of combinations that include both fruits and green vegetables.  Protein, fiber, and calcium make this green smoothie a filling, fat-burning meal.  It’s green color comes from spinach, but it also includes a pear, grapes,  some avocado, and Greek non-fat yogurt.    I must admit, I was hesitant about “drinking spinach”, but it’s really good.  I like this one very much.

SWEET SPINACH SMOOTHIE

Yield: 1 large serving, or 2 smaller onesIMG_9268

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups spinach leaves, chopped
  • 1 ripe pear, cored and seeded, cut into pieces
  • 15 red or green grapes
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped avocado
  • 1 – 2 T. fresh lime juice
  • 6 oz. plain, non-fat Greek yogurt

Directions:

Put all the ingredients into a blender container and liquify on high until smooth and thick.   I put the yogurt in first, as my blender needs something soft to help it get going.

 

Put everything in the blender and whiz to liquify.

Put everything in the blender and whiz to liquify.

This is thick and satisfying.

This is thick and satisfying.

SOURCE:  My own combination

 

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I Need to Eat a Skinny Person

If the saying  “you are what you eat”, is true,  then I need to eat a skinny person in order to become one.

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Since beginning to write this blog I have wanted to provide my readers with a broad variety of recipes and that has included baked goods and desserts.  Sweets are treats that I used to make only for special occasions and holidays.  I made scones now and then or a sweet bread like banana or zucchini bread. But over the past year I’ve used any reason to bake up bars, cookies, and desserts. Once I get turned on to sugar, and carbs in general, I become a carbohydrate addict wanting more and more. I have to get this under control  in order to lose a few pounds.  This will be difficult because I’m a petite person and not really overweight,  just a little curvy in the wrong places.

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The amount of dancing that I do no longer provides the extra calorie burn to keep off the weight like it used to.  The body adjusts to the exercise you do, and soon the exercise that once worked doesn’t do it anymore.  So what is the answer to this problem?   Eat less and exercise more!   Gee, haven’t I heard that somewhere before?  But that is the only thing that works.   So, folks, I plan to cut back on carbohydrates, particularly sugar, potatoes, pasta and breads.  Therefore you will be seeing less of those foods here for a while anyway.  The reason I am starting this effort to lose a few pounds is because I’ve made a commitment to compete in a regional dance competition in August.

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In the competition world often times the judges’ decisions comes down to how fast a dancer’s spins are, how clean and precise are her pivots, how fast does she move from here to there?  NOT how correctly does she know her steps/footwork.  Does this surprise you?  Its true,  and having a few extra pounds can slow you down and effect your overall performance.  Not to mention,  I want my gowns to fit properly!!!!

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It seems then, that the two things I love to do;  cooking and writing this blog, and dancing, are colliding with each other.   For a while at least the dancing side of me is going to be getting more attention as I try to get back in shape.  However, the cooking and blogging will continue with hopefully less  “calorific”  but still blog-worthy foods.   (I think that was a new word I just made up.)

I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going.  Wish me luck!  Included here for your interest are a few pictures of me at previous dance competitions.

Relaxing at the banquet after its all over.

Relaxing at the banquet after its all over.