I’ve been really digging on papaya lately. Not only is it delicious if you have a perfectly ripe one (it took me a long time to learn what ripe is for papaya- when the outside gets soft and dark and it almost seems like it is going bad), but papaya is a health powerhouse! Papaya is packed with nutrients and is wonderful for your digestive system. It is anti-inflammatory and can ease pain, including menstrual cramps.
I add papaya seeds in this smoothie, which, yes, you can consume. Papaya seeds are anti-parasitic, filled with digestive enzymes, and aid in liver health.
If you don’t have access to organic papaya, be sure to buy the Mexican papaya NOT Hawaiian! Hawaiian papayas are genetically-modified.
Pink Power Smoothie (not only for the guys)
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 tsp. maca powder
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1/2 serving vanilla Sunwarrior raw vegan protein
About 1/2 teaspoon size thumb of fresh ginger root or 1/4 tsp. ground ginger (optional, adds some spice as well as the health benefits of ginger)
10 papaya seeds
1 ripe banana
1 frozen banana
5 frozen strawberries
1 cup papaya (about 1/4 of a large)
*You can add 1 cup fresh spinach to get your greens in, as well (it just won’t be a pretty pink color ;))
Add all ingredients to your blender (I suggest a high speed blender like a Vitamix). I also suggest adding them in the order listed.
Blend for 1 minute or until everything is combined together. Add more water to reach desired consistency
Pour into a bowl or glass, top with your favorite toppings and ENJOY!
I made a thicker version with less water so it was like ice cream
I know there are a lot of cashew milk recipes out there but there isn’t one on my blog :). I recently posted the picture below on my Instagram “> and had some feedback for the recipe. So, I decided to post the recipe on my blog as easy access for you all. I’ve recently become obsessed with making homemade nut milks because 1) It’s super easy 2) They are so delicious and creamy 3) There aren’t all those nasty, unhealthy additives like in store bought varieties 4) You can make all sorts of flavors!
So let’s get to it. Homemade milks allow you to adjust flavoring and sweetness to your liking so take all the flavoring ingredients I post below with a grain of salt, adjust according to your lovely taste buds!
Homemade Cashew Milk
Makes about 6-8 cups
Ingredients
2 cups organic, raw cashews
4-6 cups of water (less for thicker and creamier milk, more for a thinner milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 dates
Soak your cashews for at least four hours or up to overnight in filtered water (store soaking cashews in fridge). Drain and rinse thoroughly.
Place cashews and all remaining ingredients in a high speed blender (I use a Vitamix). Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until everything is well blended, smooth, and creamy.
Strain milk through a fine mesh strainer or nut milk bag (I’ve found that cashew milk doesn’t create much pulp compared to, say, almond).
Store in glass mason jars in the fridge for up to 1 week.
I’ve been really into smoothies for the past few months. I’m not a fan of super sweet, all fruit smoothies and if you have a chronic illness like Lyme disease you really shouldn’t be drinking those types of smoothies too often. The sugar content of an all fruit smoothie is both inflammatory and will feed the Lyme bugs so I’ve had to find ways to make my smoothies nutrient packed but still tasty.
Although this smoothie takes a little bit more effort then throwing 3 ingredients into the blender, it is totally worth it! It contains both ginger and turmeric for anti-inflammatory effects and cilantro, lemon and lime juice, and greens to help detoxify.
Detoxifying Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1/4 cup full fat canned coconut milk
1/4 cup almond milk (or replace with more coconut milk or non-dairy milk of choice)
1/2 cup cold filtered water
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger root (can replace this with 1/4 tsp. ground ginger)
1 tsp. maca powder (optional)
1 scoop protein powder of choice (optional)
1 small handful (1/4-1/2 cup depending on how strong you want the flavor) fresh cilantro
1 large handful spinach
Juice from 1/2 a lime
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 frozen banana
1/4 cup frozen mango
It is easiest to prep all your ingredients. THEN throw them all in a high speed blender. The best order is to place the liquid first, then all the powders/spices and lemon/lime juice, then the spinach and cilantro, and finally the fruit. This allows everything to blend evenly. Turn blender on and let it whirl until all ingredients are mixed in and it is nice and smooth.
I top mine with local bee pollen which contains an amazing amount of nutrients, has natural antibiotic effects, and provides the body with sustainable energy. I’ve added it into my diet to help aid in healing from Lyme disease. Using local bee pollen can also help with allergies. So, even if you aren’t sick but you suffer from seasonal allergies, bee pollen can be a great natural way to boost your immune system to local allergens without using drugs or chemical filled allergy meds.
The past few weeks I have been dealing with A LOT of nausea. My tummy has always been a mess but this extreme nausea is pretty new. Smoothies seem to be the calmest thing on my stomach and easy to digest so I’ve been making a lot of them. I have a favorite which I will share in a later post. For now, I want to share the smoothie I make when I’m nauseas but hungry and know I need to get some food in me. This smoothie includes fresh ginger which 1) is pretty much my favorite flavor ever, you all should know that by now and 2) is great for nausea and an upset stomach as it helps decrease in inflammation, relaxes the stomach muscles, and helps the neutralize stomach acid.
Tummy Calming Banana-Berry Ginger Smoothie
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 frozen banana
1/3 cup frozen raspberries
1 inch piece of peeled and grated ginger
1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
1/2 cup almond milk (you can use all coconut milk, I just prefer mixing the two)
1 handful spinach (optional but I like to add some greens to get my veggies in. Green veggies can also help detox out any toxins that may be contributing to nausea)
Throw everything in your blender and blend until smooth. Drink up and feel your nausea slowly dissipate.
