Hi All!! HAPPY Fridayyyyy :D
How are you?! Are you ready for the weekend?! I say, YES please :D My body's beat up and tired from working hard this week, so BRING ON THE WEEKEND!! I'll make this a quick post, and don't forget to check out Friday's SMOOTHIE recipe at the bottom :)

Eat to boost IMMUNITY! My mama taught me the best way to stay healthy is by washing your hands, and often!! But if you start to feel rundown with a cold coming, LOAD UP on the following 4 foods to get back up to speed! Who wants to exercise when feeling like crap?!?! READ ON baby, and stay ahead of the game :D

1. SUNFLOWER SEEDS
Rich in vitamin E, the seeds help your immune system create antibodies that bind to viruses and then assist your body in eliminating them.

2. RED BELL PEPPERS
These veggies are a top source of vitamin C (cup for cup, they have about double the amount as oranges). The nutrient is critical for cold-fighting and fatigue, since it helps your body make the white blood cells needed to battle (and potentially beat) an invading infection.

3. CHICKEN SOUP
The fluid keeps you hydrated and helps thin mucus, preventing and relieving congestion. While other brothy soups will do the job, chicken soup may have anti-inflammatory effects.

4. WHEAT GERM
Sprinkle this on your yogurt or cereal for a dose of zinc, a mineral that studies show lessens the severity and duration of colds. Like vitamin C, zinc helps your body produce white blood cells, the frontline warriors of your immune system.

KEEP READING and get today's recipe :D

EASY MORNING MASH SMOOTHIE

2 bananas
1 pear
1 orange
8 Tbsp of apple juice

- This recipe makes 2 portions.
- For a more refreshing smoothie, blend some crushed ice with the other ingredients.
- This smoothie is GREAT for ENERGY; GOOD for IMMUNITY :)

Nutrients: Beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamins B1, B3, B6, and C; calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur.

Have an AWESOME weekend!
SEE YOU right back here on Monday!!

Hello!! HAPPY Friday :D
Who's ready for the weekend?! MEEEEE...lol! Not that I have big plans this weekend but my husband's off work, I'm staying up late (maybe watch some Netflix), my kids have no school, and I'm working out on the beach!! Life is good :D I hope you've had a PRODUCTIVE week! Continue to CRUSH IT over the weekend, if you feel less motivated, remember why you started in the first place!! U GOT THIS!!!

Which is better to boost exercise results naturally...drink BEET Juice or GRAPE Juice?!

SIP Beet Juice!
New research from Kansas State University found that beet juice can supercharge your workout if you drink just 2.4 ounces (basically a shot) of a concentrated version of it 2 hours before exercise. The nitrite in beets increases blood flow to your working muscles while making your mitochondria (the "powerhouses" of your cells) more efficient during exercise. This helps you to work out harder and for longer, says study author Scott Ferguson.

SKIP Grape Juice!
Resveratrol, a nutrient found naturally in red grapes, has long been associated with enhancing the effects of high-intensity intervals, but a new Queen's University study suggests that it may actually impede the body's response to training. The researcher suspects it has to do with the nutrient's antioxidant properties (in excess, outside sources of antioxidants can reduce the naturally occurring ones you'd otherwise get from exercise). If you've been taking resveratrol supplements to boost your workouts, no need! Just switch to beet juice!!

KEEP READING and get Friday's recipe! Of course, it's a BEET JUICE :D

BEET BASIC JUICE

2 beets (beetroot)
2 carrots
1 apple
1 orange
1 stick of celery
1/2 inch (1 cm) of ginger root

- You'll need to use a juice extractor.
- This recipe makes 2 portions.
- This juice has many benefits :)

Nutrients: Beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C; calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur.

Have an AWESOME weekend!
Be sure to check back in on Monday!!

HELLOOOOO!! HAPPY Fridayyyyy :D
How are you?! Did you have a PRODUCTIVE week?! Are you ready for the weekend?! I'm sooooo ready to get the weekend started!! BRING IT ON!!! 

Today's post is Friday's recipe. The following smoothie recipe is by Candice Kumai and has chocolate in the ingredients! Chocolate does a body good!! Cocoa powder is naturally packed with antioxidants and may aid in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, which can lead to a healthier heart. Cocoa may also help to improve circulation and release feel-good chemicals, such as serotonin and endorphins. It contains essential fats and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, sulfur, zinc, and iron. Studies even show that chocolate can mimic the same HAPPY feelings as kissing...lol! Um, HELLOOOOO chocolate :D

CHOCOLATE MORNING WAKE-UP SMOOTHIE
Serves: 2

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup baby spinach
1 frozen banana
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp green superfood
2 Tbsp protein powder
1 cup ice

Add ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Nutrition per serving: 150 cal, 25 g fat, 10 g protein, 23 g carb, 7 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 25% daily value calcium, 50% daily value iron, 25% daily value vitamin E.

Your taste buds will thank you...so cheers to healthy drinking...with chocolate :D
Have an AWESOME weekend!
Be sure to check back in on Monday!!

Hi all!! Happy Saturday!!
How are you today?! I hope you're having a great weekend so far!! I didn't get to my computer to post yesterday...got back late last night from Sacramento and was crazy tired, so went straight to sleep when I got home.
Want to pop in real quick and post yesterday's juice recipe ;) This recipe reminds me of a hot pie or crumble. You can drink it cold or even heat it up (don't let it boil) after you've made it, for a warm drink on a cold day! Only 2 ingredients...BRING NUTRITION ON!!

WINTER CRUMBLE JUICE

2 apples
2 handfuls of blackberries

- You'll need to use a juice extractor.
- This recipe makes 2 portions.
- This recipe is AWESOME for energy and GREAT for skin!

Nutrients: Beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin B3, vitamin C; calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur.

Have a HEALTHY couple of days!!
SEE YOU back here on Monday :D

Hello!! HAPPY Fridayyyyy :D
How's your day going?! Are you ready for the weekend?! I am...BRING IT ON...lol! Am I the only person who still has Christmas shopping to do?! OMGosh...every time I think I'm wrapping it up, something happens :D Either a store doesn't have what I'm looking for or an item I ordered has been delayed! Good thing I still have a week before Christmas!! I got this...i think...lol :D 

Exercise is my favorite way to boost energy and feel great! I LUV LUV LUV to sweat!! :D How much exercise does a person really need?! Depending on when you read or listen to the news, you're exercising either too much or not enough...lol! The truth is, what's best depends largely on your goals and how hard you're willing to push yourself!!
Today's post is some basic information on exercise. Also, don't forget to check out Friday's SMOOTHIE recipe at the bottom :)

The ideal fitness routine is at least 3 workouts a week: 1 each of interval and strength training, and 1 of your choice, says exercise researcher Martin Gibala, Ph.D., at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Interval training, short bouts of effort followed by recovery periods, forces your heart to work harder and pump more blood with each beat, says Gibala. Science has seen people get just as fit with these hard bursts as with longer, steady-pace sessions. To do them, simply switch between speeding up for a minute and backing off for a minute. Building muscle strength is important too, it can lower blood pressure and help stave off weight gain.

Brisk walking or another moderate-intensity exercise is also good! Get 150 minutes a week, says James H. O'Keefe, M.D., of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. A short, brisk walk is still helpful! Even 10 minutes can help your ticker. But 10 minutes, 3 times a day is even better.

The harder you work, the less you need to do. Aim for the following:
MODERATE EXERCISE - 150 minutes per week...
OR
VIGOROUS EXERCISE - 75 minutes per week.

What's MODERATE EXERCISE?!
- Tennis: playing doubles.
- Biking: 5 to 9 miles per hour.
- Swimming: at a light rate.
- Jogging: 15 minutes per mile.

DON'T FORGET TO STRETCH!
Having flexible muscles may make blood vessels more elastic, which helps increase blood flow to the heart. Before AND after your workout, take 5 minutes to stretch out.

Keep reading and get a yummy smoothie recipe :)

PINKYPINE SMOOTHIE

1/2 pineapple
1 handful of strawberries
5 tablespoons of natural yogurt
8 tablespoons of guava juice

- This recipe makes 2 portions.
- For a more refreshing smoothie, blend some crushed ice with the other ingredients.
- This smoothie is GREAT for energy, immunity, and skin!

Nutrients: Beta-carotene, biotin, folic acid, vitamin B3, vitamin C; calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur, zinc; protein.

Lets get the weekend started! HO! HO!! HO!!! :D
Be healthy!
See you right back here on Monday!!

Hello!! HAPPY Fridayyyyy :D
How's your Friday going?! Are you ready for the weekend?! Lets get this weekend started! WOOO WHOOO!! Before we get this weekend rolling along, I'm posting 1 more recipe this week, which happens to be a Vegetarian dish! Also, don't forget to check out the JUICE recipe at the bottom!!

BAKED PASTA WITH PUMPKIN-SAGE SAUCE
Serves: 4
Serving size: about 1 cup
Total time: 40 minutes

6 ounces whole-wheat penne pasta
1/2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried sage
1 cup reduced-fat milk
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, divided
1/2 tsp coarse salt, divided
1/8 tsp black pepper
3 ounces (about 3 cups) fresh spinach
1 ounce sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet over medium, heat oil. Saute onion, garlic, and sage in oil until tender. Reduce heat to low and whisk in the milk and pumpkin puree. Add 3 ounces cheese, whisking until combined. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Continue to heat over low until cheese melts, about 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Drain pasta and return pasta to pot. Add spinach, pumpkin sauce, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to pasta in pot. Stir gently until pasta is evenly coated with sauce.

3. Pour pasta mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Top with the sun-dried tomatoes and remaining 1 ounce Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition facts (per serving): calories 339, total fat 12 g, saturated fat 5 g, trans fat 0 g, sodium 870 mg, carbs 45 g, fiber 6 g, sugar 5 g, protein 18 g.

The following JUICE recipe reminds me of a Waldorf salad, without the walnuts! The hemp-seed oil will give you a similar benefit of omega-3 fatty acids. The oil will blend best if it's shaken with the juice in a jar ;)

WALDORF SALAD JUICE

2 apples
2 sticks of celery
1 Tbsp (15 ml) cold-pressed hemp-seed oil

- You'll need to use a juice extractor.
- This recipe makes 2 portions.
- This juice is GOOD for energy!

Nutrients: Beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C; calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur; essential fatty acids.

That's it for this post...i'm out the door...my Fridayyyyy fun starts right now :D
Have an AWESOME weekend!
SEE YOU back here on Monday!!

Hi there!! HAPPY Fridayyyyy :D
How are you?! How was your week?! I hope it's been PRODUCTIVE and HEALTHY!! Are you ready for the weekend?! I am!! BRING IT ON!!! And...it's Friday, so don't forget to check out the JUICE recipe at the bottom of this post :)

Football season is in full swing! SCORE!! My fam is totally into football, to say the least :D If you ask my husband, during football season, nothing is more important than a good game and food...lol! 
Today's post is how to be a superfan at a Tailgate without putting on the extra calories!! The following is a playbook of creative takes and choices, so you can eat more like a champ :D

- While packing the cooler, throw in 10 pounds of ice for every 12 cans or 10 bottles! Sipping cold bevs rather than room-temperature ones can burn an extra 8 calories per 8 ounces!!

- The average game day partyer puts away up to a day and a half's worth of calories! In a wasteland of chips, chili, and umpteen-layer dips, the lightest choices aren't always obvious!! Here's some interference ;)
*Nutritional information based on an average serving.

Guacamole VS French Onion Dip
Winner?! Guacamole!! (calories saved: 61, fat grams saved: 5)

Potato Salad VS Grilled Potato Skins
Winner?! Potato Skins!! (calories saved: 99, fat grams saved: 8)

All-Beef Hot Dog VS All-Beef Brat
Winner?! Hot Dog!! (calories saved: 80, fat grams saved: 6)

3 Chicken Wings VS Cupcake With Icing
Winner?! Cupcake!! (calories saved: 72, fat grams saved: 8)

Cotton Candy VS Snow Cone
Winner?! Cotton Candy!! (calories saved: 15)

- Want a burger?! Make it bison! The ground meat packs more protein and less fat than chicken and beef. Plus, its mildly sweet taste is best enjoyed with minimal fixings, which means more saved calories :D

- Kebabs are a delish low-carb way to work more veggies into your game day! Thread your lean protein of choice, chicken, pork, fish, or shrimp, with fiber-rich bell peppers, onions, and zucchini!! The skewers will fill you up for around 200 calories per 12-inch stick :)

- Marinades pump up nutrition and flavor and tenderize meat. Pour these 3 on like Gatorade over a winning coach! GO FOR IT!!
*Each marinade makes enough for about 4 servings or 1 pound of meat.

BEST ON STEAK: (soak time: 2 hours)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Just 1 teaspoon of mustard can boost metabolism by up to 25% for several hours after eating.

BEST ON CHICKEN: (soak time: 2 hours)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
2 crushed garlic cloves
Lemon juice's natural diuretic properties may help beat bloat, plus it contains vitamin C, which can aid in fat-burning.

BEST ON TOFU: (soak time: 30 minutes)
1/2 cup low-sodium teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp crushed red pepper
Eating red pepper flakes could reduce your calorie intake by 16%. SCORE!

KEEP READING...below is a Cherry Pie JUICE recipe! It has nothing to do with pies at all...lol...but the sweetness of apples blends deliciously with the cherries :)

CHERRY PIE JUICE

2 large handfuls of cherries
2 apples

- You'll need to use a juice extractor.
- This recipe makes 2 portions.
- This juice is GREAT for energy; GOOD for immunity!!

Nutrients: Beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C; calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur.

Whether you're grilling at a Tailgate party or blending a juice...both are a SCORE without giving you a big belly!! This sounds like a TOUCHDOWN to me...lol! Just saying :D
Have an AWESOME weekend!
SEE YOU back here on Monday!!

Hello!! HAPPY Fridayyyyy :D
How are you?! How was your week?! I hope you had a PRODUCTIVE one!! I've definitely had more productive weeks :D I was sick on Tuesday and Wednesday, so spent those days with tissue in my nose and moaning in bed...lol! I hope you got the message about me not posting last Wednesday! If not, I'm sorry!! Today, I'm feeling pretty much back to normal (yeaaaaa) and happy to be out of my pajamas and back in my workout clothes :D It's Friday, so don't forget to check out the 2 (yes...2) SMOOTHIE recipes at the bottom of this post! Wooo Whooo!!

Today's post is a pie recipe! Who doesn't like pie...especially this time of year?! Thanksgiving is right around the corner and this recipe makes a fabulous addition to the dessert table :D

BUTTERNUT SQUASH PIE WITH POMEGRANATE SEEDS
Prep 25 minutes plus chilling time.
Cook 35 minutes.
Makes 1 pie.
You can bake the pie up to 2 days ahead and then garnish just before serving. (Not up for making crust? Use a store-bought 9-inch graham cracker pie shell.)

For the crust:
About 11 whole cinnamon graham crackers (to yield 1 1/2 cups crumbs)
5 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
2 Tbsp sugar
Pinch of fine salt

For the filling:
10 oz precut, peeled butternut squash (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup 2% milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp fine salt
2 to 3 Tbsp pomegranate seeds

HEAT oven to 375. Crumble graham crackers into a food processor, and pulse until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter, sugar, and salt, and pulse to combine (mixture should resemble wet sand). Press in and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until golden, about 8 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

WHILE crust cools, place squash in a microwave-safe dish. Cover with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in top. Microwave on high for 7 minutes. Let stand in microwave, steaming until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 5 minutes. (Heat at additional 2-minute intervals if needed.)

PROCESS squash in food processor until smooth. Add milk, eggs, syrup, pie spice, vanilla, and salt, and process to combine well, scraping down sides if necessary. Quickly transfer to a large measuring cup (to keep food processor bowl from leaking), then pour into crust.

BAKE on a baking sheet until center is set, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. Once cool, refrigerate, loosely covered, for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

JUST before serving, sprinkle pomegranate seeds around edge of pie to garnish.

239 cal, 11 g fat (5 g saturated), 4 g protein, 33 g carb, 18 g sugar, 2 g fiber, 264 mg sodium, 67 mg cholesterol per serving.

KEEP READING and get 2 SMOOTHIE recipes below :D

PURPLE RAIN
1 handful of blueberries
1 handful of blackberries
1 handful of blackcurrants
5 tablespoons of natural yogurt
6 tablespoons of apple juice

- This recipe makes 2 portions.
- For a more refreshing smoothie, blend some crushed ice in with the other ingredients.
- This smoothie is GOOD for energy, immunity, and skin.

Nutrients: Beta-carotene, biotin, folic acid, vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, C, and E; calcium, chromium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur, zinc; protein.

BANANA SHARP
2 bananas
1 pink grapefruit
8 tablespoons of orange juice
juice of a lime

- This recipe makes 2 portions.
- For a more refreshing smoothie, blend some crushed ice in with the other ingredients.
- This smoothie is GREAT for energy!

Nutrients: Beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamins B1, B3, B6, and C; calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur.

If you have ANY comments about this post, I'd luv to hear from you :D
Have an AWESOME weekend!
SEE YOU right back here on Monday!!

HELLO!! HAPPY Fridayyyyy :D
How are you?! How was your week?! I bet you're ready for the weekend, right?! Me too!! I hope you still find time to get in some mean workouts and eat clean! I know that I sound like a broken record (lol) when I say this all the time, but exercise and healthy food really go hand-in-hand if you want to be FITastic :D Of course, you're already fantastic, you know what I mean by being FITastic! YOU GOT THIS!! And...it's Friday, so don't forget to check out the JUICE recipe at the bottom of this post :)

Today's post is on Motivation! Motivation is a fabulous and funny thing...lol! Even if you're a certified workout rat, you might have trouble getting psyched up to exercise every now and then! I do!! I LUV to exercise, but I also have my days when I would rather just stay in bed and read a book :D
Here's a surefire way to give that motivation a good kick in the pants: Recall a positive exercise experience. I found the following information in an Oxygen magazine and written by Karen Asp.

In a study from the journal Memory, about 150 college students were asked to recall either a positive or negative memory connected to exercise that would increase their motivation to exercise. Meanwhile, a control group did no recall.
In the end, those who remembered a positive memory reported higher amounts of exercise, about 15 minutes (or more) of moderate-intensity activity during a weeklong period, than the control group. Surprisingly, negative memories connected to exercise also increased study participants activity level over the control group, although not as much as the positive exercise memory group.
Why? Although researchers don't have a definitive answer, they do have a few theories. "Recalling a positive exercise experience could boost one's self-concept in terms of exercise and fitness," says Mathew Biondolillo, lead study author from the University of New Hampshire. That, in turn, could lead to more exercise.
Other research points to specific memories serving as a directive function, meaning that they direct or guide future activities and suggest plans of action based on past experience. "A positive motivational memory might give helpful guidance and instruction for people so they know how to repeat a past positive exercise experience in the future," he adds.
So on those days when you're vacillating between staying in bed another 30 minutes or working out, this study suggests that recalling those positive past experiences could make you choose the latter. For instance, think about completing your first 5K and how happy you felt as a result.
Can't think of anything positive? Then follow the lead of the second group in the study and veer the other way into negative territory. For instance, maybe you picture a race you did in which you almost couldn't finish. The memory could ignite your fire to exercise so you'll do better next time.

Want more ways to kick that motivation into gear?! Put the following 3 strategies to the test :)

1. Choose the right buddy. Exercising with a friend can make any sweat session more enjoyable. For optimal results, though, a study from the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology advises buddying up with somebody who's moving because they love it. When people exercised with somebody who was motivated to participate in physical activity because they truly enjoyed it, they exercised at a higher intensity, spent more time doing physical activity and exercised for longer durations of time versus exercising with somebody who was only doing it to look better.

2. Pay yourself. People who got a $5 weekly reward were more likely to stick with exercise, per a study from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Researchers suggest those cash incentives offer an immediate benefit as opposed to the health benefits of exercise, which usually take time.

3. Talk yourself up. When people used motivational self-talk during workouts, they reported that exercise felt easier, so much, in fact, that they improved their time to exhaustion--so they either exercised for a longer time or did the same workout feeling less tired--by 18%, according to a study from Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Try statements like "go for it," "dig deep," "you got this," or "you're a winner."

Keep the motivation going and top off your workout with this JUICE recipe :D

VEGGIE COCKTAIL

3 sticks of celery
3 tomatoes
2 carrots
1/2 lemon

- You'll need to use a juice extractor.
- This recipe makes 2 portions.
- This juice is GREAT for immunity; GOOD for energy and skin!

Nutrients: Beta-carotene, biotin, folic acid, vitamin C; calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur.

If you have ANY comments about this post...don't be shy...BRING IT ON :D
Have a FAB weekend!
SEE YOU back here on Monday!!

Hello there!! HAPPY Fridayyyyy :D
How's your day going so far?! Are you ready for the weekend?! I'm finally back on a normal routine after being in Hawaii...lol! I'm exercising at crack of dawn and my eating habits are back on the right track!! Wooo Whooo :D This weekend I plan to keep eating great, rev up on a few new workouts, and blast thru some cardio! Sounds like a FITastic weekend to me...lol!! BRING IT ON!!!

Today's post are 2 recipes. The first recipe is a delicious Chilled Carrot Soup! October is an AWESOME time of year to start making soup, but because the weather is still warmish outside, a "chilled" soup is perfect!! And...it's Friday, so don't forget to check out the Orange and Apricot Smoothie at the bottom of this post! If you have a binder or recipe box...print these recipes!! You won't be disappointed ;)


CHILLED CARROT SOUP WITH SWEET PEA CUBES
Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 3 hours

1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup frozen sweet peas
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into 1-inch rounds
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups carrot juice
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pea shoots for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper 

1. In a blender, mix buttermilk and peas; process until smooth. Fill each section of an ice cube tray or a mini-muffin pan halfway with mixture. Freeze until solid, 1 to 2 hours.

2. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium high. Add shallots and saute for 5 minutes or until softened. Add carrots and stir to combine. Sprinkle with cumin and coriander and stir to coat. Add stock and bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until carrots are softened.

3. Carefully transfer mixture to a blender. Add carrot juice, lemon juice, ginger, and salt and blend until smooth. Allow to cool slightly, then refrigerate until completely chilled.

4. Remove soup from refrigerator 10 minutes before serving. Divide, with cubes, among 4 soup bowls, garnish with pea shoots, and season with pepper.

Nutrition score per serving: 254 calories, 8 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 41 g carbs, 7 g protein, 9 g fiber, 774 mg sodium.


ORANGE AND APRICOT SMOOTHIE
Sorry...no photo! I took 1 but it got deleted by mistake!!

2 oranges
5 apricots
8 tablespoons of orange juice

- This recipe makes 2 portions.
- For a more refreshing smoothie, blend some crushed ice in with the other ingredients.
- This smoothie is brimming with antioxidants...it's GREAT for energy, immunity, and skin!!!

Nutrients: Beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamins B1, B3, B5, and C; calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur.


Have a GREAT weekend!
SEE YOU right back here on Monday!!