Paleo and pregnancy... The first trimester

The alternative to this title would be, "I haven't eaten Paleo since I was five weeks pregnant".

If you have been following along with my story you will know that at the beginning of the year I started a Paleo lifestyle to try and help heal my endometriosis, and improve my chances of baby making.

And awesomely, we are 13 weeks pregnant. Which rocks the cazbah.

Not so awesome, (but totally, totally worth it) is the morning sickness. And the food aversion.
So how does this fit in (or rather, not fit in) with the Paleo?

At 5 weeks and 2 days, the morning sickness started. At first it was just a little nausea, so I tried ginger tea. And then the nausea went ape shit. It got to like, def con level two. And like yeah, no vegetables and no meat sounded appealing at all.

Like, actually none. In fact, I was happy if I could keep the blandest things down. Like, a pita bread. Or crackers.

Anyway, I started googling Paleo and pregnancy, to see if I was the only one who had this aversion during their first trimester. And like, what the hell was this nausea? I knew nausea happened, but this was so bad, it made me cry.

But no, apparently it is quite normal. And apparently a lot of women who follow Paleo simply can't continue it during pregnancy.

But dude, let me tell you something. I felt so guilty. So guilty.

Since January, I had really become quite invested in this Paleo idea. I love the idea that I had been setting up this healthy spot for baby to grow. And I loved the improved health I had been seeing. And suddenly, I coudn't stomach it. I felt so bad. And was really down on myself. All the things I had been reading about the stuff that now was the only thing I could eat. My smoothies made me barf. The smell of meat made me gag. It just wasn't happening.

Finally Rob and I had a big talk.
He reminded me that the most important thing for baby, is that I am happy and eating and feeling better. It is better that I am eating something and sustaining myself and baby.

And I read this, and I guess it really helped:

Source: Oh Gravy, Tumblr, click on image to see!

I started keeping a list on my phone of foods that I could eat and foods that were a no go. Although often it changed on a daily basis, the things I could generally eat were, grapes, cherries, pita bread, crackers and sweet potatoes. When I have been able to, I have had Paleo broths, which have helped settle my stomach and also made me feel like I was nourishing wee one.

So, I am not saying that Paleo and pregnancy is impossible. But for me, in the first trimester, I just physically couldn't stomach it. In all honesty, no matter how hard I tried, the food aversions were just to strong. And it stressed me out. Which is far worse for baby then eating chips.

I am hoping that the second trimester will bring a stop to the nausea, and as soon as that happens, I have smoothies and Paleo recipes ready to go. But for now, I think it is important to remember not to put too much pressure on myself. I believe that baby needs you to be happy and functioning to develop properly.

I will keep the updates coming as baby grows, and I see how Paleo will fit in with the rest of the pregnancy. I would love to hear other peoples experiences?! This is my honest experience, and I am keen to see what happened for you.. 

Paleo on a Road Trip

So I am going to be honest - I find staying on the Paleo wagon hardest when I am on holiday. And while I don't mind having treats on vacation - because life is too short to be perfect, I hate when I eat something that isn't really worth it. And road trips can be long and boring, and eating junk food is kind of a tradition. So here is how I stay Paleo when we are on a road trip!

Tips and Tricks

Be organised!

Plan ahead. If I know we are going away I will make sure we have healthy snacks to pack away. I generally cut up capsicum, have baby carrots, buy a big bag of grapes, and a tub of mixed nuts. Water, Soda water or Kombucha can help me stop the constant need to buy a giant Coke Zero in each town we drive through. I try and make sure we have sweet and savoury items in our Chilly bin - know what you crave on a road trip and combat it!

Eat a satisfying meal before hand.
I try and make sure we are full when we leave. If we leave first thing I will wake up early and cook bacon, eggs and vegetables. If we leave mid day I will cook a big lunch first.

Avoid the Petrol Station. There is nothing Paleo to eat there! 

Know your weaknesses.

For me - its Sonic. So keeping full on yummy, Paleo snacks helps curb my Double Cheeseburger craving.

Enjoy the Drive
Stop and stretch every hour. Find somewhere beautiful and marvel at the landscape around you. Whether you are driving to San Antonio, Auckland or Geraldton. Enjoy the moments.

Treat YoSelf
I am hardly Paleo perfect, I have my treat each week. But for me our holidays are special. I will eat foods that aren't Paleo if we are away, but I try and be sensible. If it is just a breakfast out, I will stick to Paleo. If we are at a "best in Texas" BBQ joint, then I am going to indulge. The main thing for me is that I like to keep my non Paleo for something really worth it. And snacks in the car just aren't worth it for me.

Benefits

Avoid feeling sluggish and yuck when you get to your destination.
Save your non Paleo moments for the yummy food available in the town you are heading to.
Stay more alert and awake - obviously important for driving.
Avoid piling on empty calories while you sit on your butt in the car.

My Paleo Roadtrip Essentials

Chilly bin/cooler/Esky
Capsicum
Baby Carrots
Grapes
Berries
Kombucha
Water bottles
Mixed raw nuts

A Paleo Meal Plan

This post was inspired by an article I read a wee while ago, and as a response to all the questions I receive about the Paleo diet. It seems there are so many different ideas out there, as to what Paleo entails. Here is what I ate for a week so that y'all know I am not running round eating raw mammoth and sturgeon.

So I have a series of Paleo websites and blogs that I like to keep an eye out and find new recipes and hear success stories to keep me motivated. Every now and then I will do a new search to see what I can find. Last week I found an article from the New Zealand Herald discussing Paleo. I was interested to see how Paleo was viewed at home, and what the resident guru had so say about it. Unlike many people he didn’t totally write it off, and he did mention that he thought the clean eating aspect of Paleo was essential. However, he seemed to have his wires crossed on a couple of things. Or maybe he was looking at some alternative ways of committing to Paleo. Whatever was up, the article kind of disappointed me. I know people back home are supporting me, and if they look up local sources for knowledge, I feel like the article is giving an unfair view of Paleo, or at least, Paleo, as I subscribe to it. The craziest thing was that he mentions that you cannot eat carbs, and he also says no fruit. Maybe this is the case on a crazy strict version of the Paleo diet. But that is just not the case in all the books I have read so far.

People are naturally curious to know why I am on the Paleo diet (I keep insisting it’s not a diet, but a lifestyle, but there is no smooth way of writing that haha).. They also want to know what I can and can’t eat. Rob and I thought a good way to address that would be just to list what I eat in a week. Please note, this is not a meal plan prescribed from any book, or blog, and in no way am I giving anyone health or nutrition advice. I just thought it would be a good way to demonstrate, that while in some ways Paleo can be restrictive, most of the time I don’t notice because I am eating such clean and yummy food.

And just remember – everyone does things differently. This is how I fit Paleo in with my lifestyle.

So, this is what I ate in a week..

SUNDAY

Late Breakfast

Two eggs scrambled with spinach, capsicum and mushroom

Black tea

Lunch

Meatballs with cooked peppers, kale salad

Kombucha

Dinner

Roast chicken with sweet potato, slaw

Soda water

Dessert

Frozen strawberries blended

MONDAY

Breakfast

Smoothie – Coconut water, Kale, Mint, Parsley, ½ Banana, ½ Apple

Black tea

Snack

Carrots

Nuts

Lunch

Buffalo salad

Kombucha

Snack

Berries

Dinner

Roasted pork tenderloin, sweet potato, slaw

TUESDAY

Pre Cross Fit snack

Handful of mixed raw nuts, few strawberries

Breakfast

Smoothie – Coconut water, Kale, Mint, Parsley, ½ Banana, ½ Orange

Black tea

Snack

Green tea x 2

Lunch

Grilled Tilapia and Salad

Snack

Green Tea

Handful of baby carrots

½ Capsicum (bell pepper)

Dinner

Roasted pork tenderloin, sweet potato, slaw

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs and bacon

Black tea

Snack

Baby carrots

Lunch

Steak and salad

Snack

½ Capsicum (bell pepper)

Kombucha

Dinner

Baked salmon with cauliflower mash

THURSDAY

Pre Cross Fit snack

Handful of mixed raw nuts, few strawberries

Breakfast

Smoothie - Coconut water, Kale, Mint, Parsley, ½ Banana, ½ Apple

Snack

Green tea

Lunch

Brisket beef with a salad

Snack

Dinner

Stuffed capsicum/bell pepper (beef, spinach, zucchini/courgette, cabbage, chili, mushroom, cilantro)

FRIDAY

Breakfast

Smoothie - Coconut water, Kale, Mint, Parsley, ½ Banana, ½ Apple

Lunch

Chicken salad

Snack

Berries

Dinner

Stuffed capsicum/bell pepper (beef, spinach, zucchini/courgette, cabbage, chili, mushroom, cilantro)

SATURDAY

Breakfast

Eggs, bacon and berries

Snack

Kombucha

Lunch

Chicken breast and kale salad

Snack

Baby carrots and guacamole

Dinner

Burger and sweet potato fries and Shiner Bock

Notice my week is strewn with carbohydrates and fruit…

My food increases on days that I have cross fit, and decreases when I am doing less on the weekends.

Saturday night was my treat night, and I had a delish burger. It was worth the wait all week! And that beer – the first in two and a half months. It tasted AMAZING.

Penny for your thoughts : )

I would love to know if you do something similar…

Are you surprised? Did you think it was less restrictive, or more?

Please remember I am not preaching or saying anyone should do anything other than what they are happy with. I am not a nutritionist or a food scientist. I am just responding to people’s natural curiosity.

I also hope that if anyone is seriously considering Paleo, that these posts may help them get some direction. It can be pretty intimidating at first! To see more about my journey, click here.

 

Paleo Friendly Slaw

Okay y’all, I made this my very first week of Paleo. I needed a yummy side for steak while I knew my husband was going to be eating a big juicy Five Guys burger.

So this recipe was formed out of desperation.

It was a total success and now it is a staple in our Paleo food plan.

What I use:

Slaw

Half a green cabbage

Half a red cabbage

2 or 3 large carrots, grated

-this amount makes a massive bowl, and gives Rob and I like 3 or 4 meals from it.

Dressing

Avocado

Handful of chopped cilantro/coriander

Juice of a lime or two (depending on your taste)

Tablespoon of olive oil

So it is easy as.

Finely chop the cabbages, add them to a bowl with your grated carrot.

In another bowl, mush up the avocado, add the lime juice and cilantro, and then the olive oil. Mix that all up really well.

Throw the avocado mixture into the veges and mix it up like a crazy person.

If you want a little something extra, you could do what my beautiful friend Charlie does and add some toasted sunflower seeds!

And it’s done!

The lime and cilantro makes it so fresh tasting. And after you are done there is just an overwhelming feeling of wow – that was delicious and actually all good for me – yay.

 

Photography Friday - Paleo Meals

Hey y'all!

If you have been around for awhile you will know that I am on a mission! My mission is to attempt to heal my Endometriosis naturally. A "Paleo lifestyle" is one of my tactics. People are naturally very curious by the meals I eat now, so I thought I would record them for a couple of weeks. 

So, here you go! (Excuse the bite marks haha!)

Tilapia and Vegetables

Mashed Cauli and Salmon

Zucchini Spaghetti and Meatballs

Chicken Salad

Bacon, Eggs and Berries

Roast chicken and Vegetables

The most amazing Pork Ribs with Cauli Mash

Jalapenos stuffed with Sweet Potato Mash and wrapped in Bacon

Zucchini Spaghetti Bologna

Chicken and Siracha Wraps

A quick lunch at work, prawns and salad

For more on my Paleo journey you can click here! 

Thanks Jess for hosting this fun link up!

Paleo - One month in

So I have survived my first month of a Paleo lifestyle. I have had so much support from everyone, and lots of questions as to how it went, so here is an update at the one month mark. For the first two weeks you can read more here.

If you have been following our journey you will know that I am on a mission to naturally fight Endometriosis. A disease that has plagued me for at least 12 years, and that I am just sick of having.

The last month has been such an adventure, we have changed our shopping habits, drinking habits and eating habits. Here are some of the things we have been up to.

Recipes

Butternut and Pork Stew - Rob made this and had it in the slow cooker, all ready for when we got back from Cross Fit - so good to not have to cook! And oh my, so, so yum. Next time we will add more broth and coconut milk, because it was so yummy. Rob used curry powder rather than garam masala and that worked great. I feel like this would be a great stew to add kale or cabbage to boost the nutrients really easily!

Paleo Carbonara - yummy, we were using leftover zuchini and we didnt have enough, but it was still really yummy. I would say, make sure your eggs are at room temperature - it will be easier for the sauce to take.

Paleo Spaghetti and Meatballs - we didn't use a recipe for this, just kind of altered how we would normally make normal spaghetti and meatballs. The main difference was that there was no breadcrumbs in the meatballs, and the spaghetti was zuchinni noodles. Our lesson learned for this one was to cook the noodles in the microwave, to let the water sizzle out. Cos, when we steamed them in water, we didnt give them enough time to drain, and it made the dish a little watery. But satisfying, and I didn't feel bloated like I do after I eat normal noodles. Yay.

Coleslaw - this is a wee recipe I put together the first weekend of Paleo to stop my cravings as Rob ate a burger. I will get it up on the blog when I remember to take photos.

Apple Crumble - So, at about the two week point - Rob was really starting to need dessert. I made some changes to something I would normally make. And it was super yum! Again, when I get photos I will post the recipe.

Paleo Spaghetti Meatballs

Getting the most of our shopping

Smoothies (see the two week post for my solution to speeding up the smoothie process)

So, at the end of last week I was going through the fridge looking at what we had, and what we needed to get in the shopping that weekend. Cos, as I have mentioned - I need to stay organised - or fall off the wagon, I will. Anyway, I found that we had half a packet of that prewashed lettuce (it wasn't going to last more than a day more), a lone apple, some berries and some mint. And instead of letting them go to waste and brown and manky up over the weekend, I took 5 minutes and popped them into a couple of freezer bags with half a lime each. The old me would have totally just let that apple go soft, and the lettuce kind of semi liquify. But instead, I turned it into two breakfasts. Healthy breakfasts. Paleo breakfasts. As you can tell, I am a little proud of myself.

Extra Veges

One of the things we are making a lot of one pot meals and slow cooker meals. If I know that we will be making a stew later in the week, I will make a slaw on the Monday - half of a cabbage will be enough for the slaw, and the other half I will chop up and throw in the freezer to pop straight in the slow cooker.

I know that ideally, one would blanch vegetables and prepare them for a freezer, but I am finding that, as long as the container is sealed, and you use them within a few weeks, the veges are fine. I am saving so many veges from being wasted this way. 

Sales

It goes without saying, that one of the reasons people mention for not eating Paleo, is the cost. If you switch from eating normal supermarket grade meat to grass fed beef and organic chicken, or cage-laid eggs to free range Omega 3 enriched eggs, yes, that cost will increase. However, we have found the saving from not going out to dinner once or twice a week is definitely more than the increase in money we are paying at the grocery store.

One thing we are now more focussed on, is looking for when there are sales on the higher quality meat and stocking up when we find it. Likewise with organic veges, now that we have our vegetable spiraller, we go through so much zucchini. When the organic zuchinni are on sale, I will buy several, and spiral them all then freeze them. Normally I have a mix of spinach or kale smoothies, but if Kale is on sale for multiple bunches, I will just buy the Kale for the smoothies. Instead of buying prepackaged snack packs of baby carrots, I buy a big bag and split them up into containers at home.

Nuts can be really expensive. If you buy the small "to go" packs they are hugely expensive per pound. but, why not wait for them to go on sale and buy in bulk.  We do this, then combine them all in a massive container, and spoon out enough for my snack each day.

How I Feel

Well, it has been an interesting month. If you have read my two week progress post you will know that my first week - especially Day 4, was hell. But, compared to detox experiences I have read online - I got off pretty lucky at only a week of detoxing.

In my third week I had four nights in the field. Now, geologists are known to enjoy a beer or two each night after field work, and if you are up all night on a rig, coke zero has always been my basic requirement. Let alone take out, burgers and chocolate to compliment the situation. However, I literally had no soda, alcohol, chocolate or burgers my whole time in the field. This is a freaking miracle. I had an all night shift on the rig where I snacked on baby carrots, raw nuts and drank tea. I am still shocked people. But also proud of myself, I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it, and I did. So, yay.

My third and fourth week saw a REALLY bad flare up of my Endometriosis. Like, bad. I tried not to let this deter my good eating, and I got through it. Luckily Rob is fantastic and, as usual did an amazing job of nursing me. One of the things that worried me is that I would get down hearted that I still had such pain, after trying so hard on the Paleo diet. But, I have to remember that things take time, and you can't just get rid of all those toxins and suddenly be pain free. Paitience Sarah. Here is hoping that each month gets better.

Physically I feel a lot more alive than I did at the beginning of the January. I used to be such a morning person, but I found Rob was having to literally pull me out of bed or I would just keep pressing snooze on my alarm. I also had huge problems falling asleep, but I am finding myself naturally ready to sleep around 9 or 10 which is a relief. I had begun to have heart burn when some nights when I was trying to sleep but I haven't had heart burn since I started the Paleo. One of the best things for me personally, is not feeling bloated after a meal. I would always feel full and have a "food baby". In the last month the only time that happened was when I ate the pizza on my treat night.

As y'all know I said this is for the endo and not the weight. But if I lose weight making myself healthier, obviously that makes me happy. At the one month mark I have lost 14 pounds or 6 ish kilos.

Success at saying No

The more I say no to things I shouldn't eat, the stronger I feel. Although sometimes I feel kind of socially awkward. Someone bought pie into work and I sat there eating bell peppers lol. I felt like a bit of a dick.

Surviving the Super Bowl was hard. Although I stuck with it and made myself some paleo friendly snacks. I munched down on veges that I cut up, and dipped into home made guacamole and salsa. Although I let myself give into temptation and have 6 corn chips, I managed to say no to booze, buffalo wings, queso and chocolate: I was pretty proud.

My Treats

If y'all have been following from the start, you will know that I have been allowing myself one treat meal or drinks with a meal each week. At the end of the second week I had a girls night and chose Paleo food but had a few cocktails. At the end of the second week I had Pizza, but it was really unsatisfying and I felt bloated after (yes body, I am listening). At the end of the third week I had a burger - because I tell you what - I had been craving a Sonic double Cheeseburger like crazy. I got a few bites in and it just tasted gross to me, so I chucked it. I was both sad and relieved that the taste I had been craving for three weeks had become gross to me. My week four treat was a tequila with lemon juice and water. A tasty cocktail to sip.

Reading Material

Read

"The Paleo Answer" Loren Cordain

This is a great article on what you might expect in your first month.

Cook Books

"Paleo Slow Cooker" John Chatham

"The Paleo Diet Cookbook" Loren Cordain

To Read

"In Defense of Food" Michael Pollan

I have read a different novel by him and am looking forward to getting started on this one.

"Endometriosis and nutrition" 

My darling friend Tehani bought me this and had it sent to me. It was a lovely and thoughtful surprise! 

"The Paleo Solution" Robb Wolf

This is on the way from Amazon at the mo. 

Websites

Paleo Pot 

Every Day Paleo
Paleo OMG

So there you have it, some notes on my first month. If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave a comment below, or message me. I would love to hear from other people and see how their first month was, or if they have experience with healing Endo?

Currently, or, My First Two Weeks of Paleo

For those of you who follow my Instagram, you would have seen a definite increase in the color green in the last fortnight.

Here is a super honest and personal confession, (which I try and avoid on this bloggy cos I like talking about the happy things in life)... I am sick of having Endometriosis. Absolutely sick of it. I don't want to be in pain each week, I don't want to be distracted from all the awesome things I get to do in life, I don't want to have to take sick days off work so often, and I don't want to get to 60 wishing that after a life of this that I had tried to do something about it.

And so, a couple of weeks ago I embarked on a pretty major lifestyle change. I went Paleo. After a lot of research into Endo and nutrition, here is where I am.

Today is Day 14 of my Paleo lifestyle. I never thought this was a lifestyle I would adopt, and I never thought I would actually be enjoying it. I am lucky that Rob is already a super healthy chappy, and completely supportive of me, because this would be really hard without his help.

So what have I been doing?

Well, first of all I stopped drinking coke zero. Which I would have daily with breakfast and then at least one other after lunch. So that was a little hard to get used to, but I am way better now..
(Although, as I write this I am in the middle of the most extreme cravings for it I have had so far!)

We got a crock pot and have been trying lots new recipes, here are a couple..
Garlic Stew, Cauliflower Mash
Buttercup Squash Stew

My Instagram has had way too many Paleo hashtags in the last couple of weeks..

I have been drinking green smoothies (this would have been my number one thing I never thought I would do)... I grabbed a recipe here, and have altered it slightly..
You can click here to see how I have altered it and what I do now! I have the prep down to a less than an hour to make a couple of weeks worth.

Yesterday I posted my favorite Green Smoothie recipe, so yum!

And, as weird as it sounds (even to me), on Sunday morning I didn't have one, and I was craving it, so I had one for lunch. I literally never thought I would ever crave a green smoothie. Also, Rob and I had sworn to never eat Kale, in a show of allegiance to non fashionable green veges. But I must say, its good. Very good.

Mmmmm... looks like, well, pond scum. But tastes yum : )

I have been coming up with new recipes, stay tuned to the blog for some yum new things I have been putting together.

I have tried Coconut water, and started using Coconut Oil - a Paleo staple (apparently. I had never heard of it a week ago)..

Rob and I have done three grocery shops and bought no packets. Like, no packets. Everything I have put in my trolley had one ingredient in it. I think that is one of the craziest feelings.

Meat. Veges. Herbs. Oils.

If you know me and my quirks, you know that I just can't do semi solid foods, and haven't eaten eggs for like 10 years. Well, I made myself eat egg this weekend. And I didn't puke. So I am very proud of myself.

I bought a Paderno-Vegetable-Noodle-Slicer-maker-thingy. And used it. The same day. I made Zucchini noodles and made a prawn and vege stir fry with them as the noodles. Oh my, that shit was good. I have been putting Granny Smith Apple through it and stewing it with Cinnamon for dessert. A Paleo friendly treat.

Here is how I have been doing it.

Thinking
I thought a lot about doing this, and the more annoyed I got with my tummy the more I got determined with this. I also sat down and thought about what things might throw me off the wagon. I came up with a plan to make my way into the lifestyle and try and anticipate things that might throw me.

Planning
We have a weekly meal planner up on the fridge with all our meals and snacks for that week. Currently we have two weeks up at a time. I was really worried that because I don't know anywhere I could get Paleo take out, that if we had a night where we couldn't be bothered or didn't have the groceries I would crumble and get a burger. We now know what groceries we need for when. It is a little extra time, but it certainly helps me stay on the wagon.

I have been out to dinner twice since I started this, but before I booked the restaurant, I did lots of research into what restaurants I can eat at and what foods are alright while I am out.

Trying new things
I get bored easily. If I was eating Steak and Broccoli every night, I would cheat and go buy cheese and crackers. I just would. So, we got a crock pot, started googling recipes and started experimenting. We have had more variety in the last two weeks than we have for a long time.

Getting support
As I said above, I am super lucky to have Rob, he is a gem. I also have my family motivating me and sending me recipes, and have friends and coworkers who are encouraging me and even suggesting pot luck meals so they can learn some Paleo recipes too. I have had people from home FB me with support and a blogging bestie texting me. The nicest thing so far, is that none of my friends have told me I am doing something dumb or had a negative reaction. I was really worried, as who knows, I may have been judgemental if someone told me they were doing it. I am pretty blessed.

Reading
I have been making my ass read a lot. Books on Paleo, books on Endo, recipe books, Paleo recipe blogs, Endo blogs, health blogs, you name it. Knowledge is power.

Setting Goals
I went cold turkey, but with a small provision. One meal or drinks with a meal each week can be non Paleo. Whether it is a burger or a cocktail or cheese and crackers at a friends place. I need to have that to look forward to.

Motivation
I have created a Pinterest page with research and recipes I am finding. Also, I have been reminding myself why I am doing this.

Being Patient with Myself
The first few days of this was - very, very hard. Day four was hell on earth. It sounds like an exaggeration, but I googled it, and apparently I got off lucky. Some people detox for 3 weeks. I think most of mine happened in the first week. Nausea, headaches, fatigue and mood swings. Bloody hell, I was crazy on Day 4. I literally cried at New Girl. Not for anything in particular. But just cos.

___________________________________________________

If anyone is still reading, cos lets face it, this post got kind of long, I appreciate your support, and would love to hear any stories you have. I hope that by putting this out on my blog, and getting real for a minute, that I have another reason to keep going when things get tough.

This is not for me to drop weight. This is not a new years resolution. This is not to join a fad.

This is to stop being in pain.  This is to take my health back. This is to be strong and happy and healthy.

The difference is very important to me.  And it is what is driving me.

Green Smoothie Prep - two weeks of yum

This is a recipe based on one that I originally saw here, I have altered it slightly as my experience with green smoothies has changed, and when I prep with the amount below it makes me 10-14 smoothies depending on the size of the Spinach and Kale bunches....

I never thought this would seem appealing to me, but now I crave it!

Bulk Vege List
1 bunch of Kale
1 bunch of Spinach
1 bunch of Parsley
1 bunch of Mint
8 Granny Smith Apples
2 big Bananas
2 big Oranges 
Strawberries

Fluid Component
One large can of Coconut water, or if I am out, 2 C of water.

Prepping a bunch of smoothies takes less than an hour. And I find it relaxing.

What I do.

Wash and then chop Kale and Spinach up roughly and place a large handful of Chopped Kale or Spinach into a freezer bag. I do this until there is none left, with the bunches I got on Friday this made 11 bags.

Wash and then chop up the Parsley and divide it into 11 (cos that's the amount of bags) wee piles.
Do the same with the Mint.

Add herbs to bags.

I then add half a Granny Smith Apple to each bag. Each half is chopped in four and I keep the skins on, but I make sure I wash them thoroughly.

I put half a Banana in four of the bags. These ones are now done.

I put half an Orange (or a whole one if they are small) in four more of the bags. These ones are now done.

The remaining bags I put 4 Strawberries in each, washed and cut in half. These are now done.

In the morning, I throw a can of Coconut Water into my blender and one of the smoothie bags. I set it to chop, to get through the large frozen chunks, then liquefy. And Voila! A super yum and healthy breakfast. On a Saturday I enjoy it slowly, and on a week day I take it in a tumbler to work.

I am so glad I started with the Coconut Water, it is an injection of nutrients, and it gives it a great flavor.

I like variation, so I use a few different fruits, that way I can choose whether I want Orange, or Banana or Berries. But you can limit this if you want, its up to you... Enjoy!!