Banana Split Smoothie

Do not be fooled by the photo: what would appear to be a mere homemade chocolate milkshake is, in fact, the most delicious Banana Split Smoothie which happens to be both 100% Raw and 100% Dairy-free!

Having just visited the Ryerson University Farmers Market (open every Tuesday from 4:30PM to 7:30 PM) and purchased an enormous jar of raw, un-pasteurized 100% Canadian honey, I was feeling a bit decadent and wanted to create a sweet treat that was still healthy and good for me.

So, I took advantage of strawberry season (I brought home a pint of strawberries from the Niagara region that tasted absolutely phenomenal!) and the fact that I have 5 bags of frozen bananas in my freezer and put together this smoothie to satiate my hankering.

The verdict? Easy, delicious and a new favorite!

Banana Split Smoothie

1 frozen banana, broken into pieces

6 ripe, organic strawberries

1 cup almond mylk (you can use store bought almond mylk, but it will not be raw as they are required to pasteurize all processed liquids sold in Canada)

1 tbsp raw cacao powder (I used the brand Navitas Naturals)

2 tsp raw un-pasteurized honey (The brand I buy from the farmer's market is called Leitch's Honey)

1 tbsp hemp protein powder (optional)

Place bananas in Magic Bullet cup and allow to sit for 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and use the flat blade to blend them until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Find a sunny place to sit while you sip your smoothie and are transported back to the days when you would visit the ice cream shop as a child.

If you live in the Toronto area and would like to try Leitch's Honey, their information is as follows:

519-942-1380

39 South Park Dr.

Orangeville, ON

L9W 1R7

www.leitchshoney.com

Magical Morning Smoothies

One of the first things I noticed about student life at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine was how incredibly important the Morning Smoothie was to the average student. Every day I would witness my colleagues shuffle in to the first class of the day with matching Magic Bullet cups that contained different blended concoctions of fruits and vegetables.

For the first time in my life, everyone around me was forgoing the Egg McMuffin in favour of a fiber packed, nutrient dense super drink that could be easily whipped up at home, in the time it takes to say "I knew I shouldn't have hit the darn snooze button again". And why not? Everyone knows the benefits of a healthy breakfast as it sets the tone for the rest of the day.

Although I'm no expert, it occurred to me that I may know some great smoothie recipes since I enjoy one nearly every day. Pictured above is one of my favorite "Green Smoothie" recipes that can be found below:

1 handful of fresh spinach leaves (about 1 cup, loosely packed)

1 frozen banana, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1 tbsp peanut butter (can also use almond butter, tahini, cashew butter)

1 cup almond milk (may need a little more depending on desired consistency)

1 scoop Vega protein powder (or 2 tbsp Hemp protein)

1/2 tsp Spirulina powder

1 tsp Udo's 3-6-9 Oil blend

1 tsp raw honey (optional, depending on how sweet you like your smoothies)

Blend the almond milk and spinach in a hand held blender (I use my Magic Bullet) until there are no whole spinach leaves, as nothing is worse than getting a huge mouthful of raw spinach when you first dig into your smoothie. Add all remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Enjoy immediately or save for the morning commute.

Note that the above recipe is very easy to change. For example, kale or broccoli instead of spinach, mango or fresh strawberries in place of frozen blueberries-let your imagination run wild with this and your taste buds will thank you!