Mom's Basic Smoothie

Ingredients:

Organic dark leafy greens are the king of alkalization so it's good to find ways to incorporated them into your diet. Including smoothies. They give your body folate, they burn fat, are anti-aging, help your heart, feed your telomeres (the little tails on our DNA chromosome), fight diabetes, feed your gut, provide sun protection, protect against toxins, and build enzymes.
I use as many greens in season as I can. Some of the greens I like in a smoothie are:
Spinach - With spinach, you want to get the protein coating off of the iron cell if you are needing iron in your diet. In order to do this, put about 1 - 2 inches of water in the bottom of your blender (Vitamix or Blendtec) put in a large hand full of spinach and blend until it becomes warm. Bringing the spinach up to temperature dissolves the protein coating which then frees up the iron. Once it is warm, pour in some ice to bring down the temperature and then you can add the rest of your ingredients.
I always put as many greens and vegetables in my smoothie as I can.  (I have a secret....if you add citrus, it will kill the grass taste.)
Cabbage
Dandelion Greens
Swiss Chard
Bok Choy
Kale
Beet Greens
Beets
Carrots
Celery
Cucumber
Avocado

Once I finish adding my desired vegetables, I add one, some, or many of the following:

Ginger
Almonds
Flax seeds
Chia seeds
Hemp seeds
Cinnamon
Tummeric
Raw honey
Coconut oil - Organic, raw, extra virgin, cold pressed
Almond butter
Peanut butter
Cacao
Kefir

I then add fruits. The ratio of my smoothies is higher in greens than in fruits i.e. -  1/2-3/4 are veggies and the remainder is fruit.

Limes
Lemons
Oranges
Apples
Peaches
Apricots
Bananas
Berries (all kinds)
Grapes
Melon

Side notes:

When you put beets in your smoothie, add citrus, grapes, and or berries to it to kill the beet taste.

Use organic ingredients.

If you have a pure, organic, healthy protein powder, you can add that too. We like the vanilla as an overall favorite flavor in our smoothies. However, chocolate protein powder is delicious in red smoothies.

Add ice, if needed, and blend everything together to make a yummy, healthy smoothie.  Enjoy!

FOR A NON SWEET SMOOTHIE
Blend:
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Celery
Spinach
Chard
Cilantro (optional)
Basil (optional)
Ginger
Carrots
Lime
Lemon
Red pepper flakes (optional)

This tastes more like a V-8 juice without the basil and cilantro.

Korean meatballs

2 lbs ground beef
3 green onions
1/4 c. breadcrumbs
2 garlic cloves
1 egg beaten
1 t. sesame oil
1/2 T grated ginger
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Glaze:
4 T. hoisin sauce
4 T. honey (I've done 2 T.)
4 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic chili paste or siracha

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line baking sheet with foil and spray, or line baking sheet with oven paper and spray (using oven paper keeps the aluminum from getting into your food.)
Mix meat ingrediants together and form balls and place on baking sheet.
Cook for 20-25 min.

Chocolate granola

5 cups rolled oats
1 cup coconut chips
1/2 c maple syrup
1/2 cup honey
6 tablespoons melted coconut oil
4 t. Vanilla
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Dash salt
1 t cinnamon

Dark Chocolate chunks
Freeze dried strawberries

Mix oats and coconut. In separate bowl mix wet ingredients. Mix all together and lay on sprayed cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for 30-40 min turning every 15 min. Add chocolate and strawberries after granola has cooled. Strawberries are optional.

Thai Beef Salad

If you use fresh ingredients, you will find that this may be one of your favorite salads or way to cook beef. This seriously is one of the best things you will put in your mouth! There's lots of great flavor! Sooooo good!!

Ingredients:

1 large shallot, sliced into thin rings
3 T. lime juice (from 2 limes)
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher or Real salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. light brown sugar, divided (The original recipe calls for 4 tsp. but we cut it in half. It's better. To make it refined sugar free, you can use a tsp. of honey or coconut sugar)
1 1/2 lb. organic, grass fed skirt steak, trimmed and cut into 4 to 6 pieces (Ribeye works too.)
1 T. avocado, organic unrefined cold pressed coconut oil, or olive oil
1 T. oyster sauce
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 - 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
1/2 - 1 cup fresh mint, coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Combine shallot and lime juice in large bowl; let stand 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2.  Meanwhile, stir together salt, black pepper and 1 tsp. of brown sugar in a small bowl. Pat steak dry with paper towels, and rub with salt-sugar mixture.
3. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high until smoking, about 5 minutes.
4. Cook steak in hot oil, in batches until charred and desire degree of doneness is reached, 2 minutes per side for medium. Transfer to cutting board, and let rest 10 minutes.
5.  Meanwhile, add oyster sauce, crushed red pepper, and remaining 1 tsp. sugar to the shallot mixture, and stir until sugar dissolves. Thinly slice steak against the grain, and add steak and any accumulated juices to shallot mixture. Add tomatoes, cilantro, and mint; toss to combine. Transfer to a platter, and garnish with more cilantro.
Serves: 4
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minuts

Kale and Wild Rice Salad

Brooke found this recipe from Two Peas and a Pod blog and we really like it. Enjoy!

Ingredients for the Salad:
1 large bunch kale (Lacinato kale is a softer kind that may be preferred)
1 tsp. olive oil
pinch Kosher or Real salt
1 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup cooked wild rice
1 large apple, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Ingredients for the dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
dash of salt and ground black pepper

Directions:
In a large bowl, add the kale, olive oil, salt, and lemon juice. Massage the kale with your hands until the kale softens, about 2-3 minutes. Add the cooked wild rice, apple, avocado, dried cranberries, almonds, and goat cheese. Gently toss.

To make the dressing, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup, and mustard in a small bowl or jar. Whisk until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.

Drizzle dressing over the salad and gently toss. Serve immediately.

If you don't have wild rice, brown rice will work too. If you don't like goat cheese, feta cheese is also good. The salad is best the day it is made, but you can keep it in the refrigerator in a container for up to one day and it is still good.