Good Monday to you.

I have a special treat for you today.  A reader of zesty wanted to be featured for one of his favorite smoothies.  I thought it was a neat idea to feature you guys and see what you make in your own kitchens.  So please enjoy today’s delicious take on a berry smoothie.

Hey guys, my name’s Ed, and I am all about creating satisfying, tasty, and healthy smoothie recipes that can not only excite your taste buds, but enrich your day and improve your health. We lead such busy lives, and most of us do not have remotely enough time to prepare every single one of our meals, especially if we want to pack in as much fresh food and nutrition as many of us, including myself, want to do.

This is why I came up with a delicious, fresh tasting, frozen mixed berry smoothie recipe with yogurt that has a little bit of twist as it has nearly everything that we need to get through our day including vitamins, protein, and fiber. So no drinking those disgusting gas station energy drinks, yuck! So I really love berries, and they are known for being the best “bang for your buck” fruits, as they are loaded with flavor, fiber, and vital nutrients without being too high in calories and sugar.

I decided to blend frozen dark berries with fresh strawberries for a really satisfying berry taste and plenty of extra nutrition. Remember that fiber, protein, and good healthy unsaturated fats help us stay satiated longer (and shed pounds!), which keeps our cravings in check throughout the day.

So this is a smoothie that tastes great, fills you up, and without any of the guilt? Yes Please. So let’s get to it!

Ingredients

• 1 Cup coconut water
• 1/2 Cup organic non fat vanilla flavored greek yogurt
• 4-5 Large fresh strawberries
• 1 Cup frozen black raspberries
• 1 Cup frozen wild blueberries
• 1 Tsp organic ground stevia for sweetening
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp chia seed powder

Method

1. Pour in the coconut water and yogurt first
2. Follow that up with the fresh strawberries, stevia, chia seed powder, and coconut oil
3. Finally, toss in your frozen berries on top
4. Blend this up thoroughly until you get your desired consistency
5. (optional) Add a few fresh blueberries and a strawberry on top to garnish
6. Drink up!

You get the fiber from the berries and chia seed powder, and as chia seed powder is also high in protein, you also get a healthy source of extra protein to supplement the protein naturally found in the greek yogurt, which also has probiotics to help with digestion, awesome right?  The coconut oil is a fantastic source of healthy unsaturated fats (embrace healthy fat!) which we all need a lot more of, and the coconut water gives you the extra potassium you need to keep your circulatory system running well!

I hope you guys enjoy it!

Thanks Ed.  Great job.  If any of you at home have neat, fun, delicious ideas you would like to share with the world drop me a note by email or in the comments section and I will get in touch with you.  I hope you have a great day and I will see you back on Wednesday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

What do you get for being lazy?

What do you get for having nothing prepared for dinner?

What do you get when you have frozen Eggo waffles in the freezer and some fresh strawberries?

You get a little concoction I call – Dessert waffles for dinner!

A waffle topped with a smear of nutella, a dollop of Greek yogurt, sliced strawberries, slivered almonds and maple syrup.   Was it good?  I would have to say it was delicious.  Was it a great dinner?  Umm No

But that is life.

What are some of the crazy things you eat for dinner that are definitely out of the ordinary?  Let me know.

I love hearing them

I will talk to you on Friday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

According to the latest Community Health Survey, on average we consume just over one portion of Milk and Alternatives per day.  That is not even close to the recommended daily intake for each age group:

• Children 2-3 and 4-8 need 2 servings
• Children 9-13 and teens 14-18 need 3-4 servings
• Adults 19-50 need 2 servings
• Adults over 50 need 3 servings

Milk products are our best natural source of calcium and they contain up to 16 essential nutrients that contribute to a healthy body.  I think milk products are even better than most people realize.  A balanced diet that contains enough Milk and Alternatives is associated with healthy bones, healthy blood pressure, and a positive outlook on life.

With all the chatter of milk and alternatives I thought it would be fun to have a little quiz.  I am going to throw down 5 questions below and you let me know in the comments if they are true or false.  I will tell you all the answers tomorrow.  I think this might be a fun way to interact so make sure you tell all your friends and maybe even post it on your blog or mention it on twitter/facebook.

Pop Quiz

Answer TRUE/FALSE in the comments to participate in the Quiz.

1. One string of cheese gives you less than half of serving
2. Two 100g single-serving containers of yogurt are just a little more than one serving
3. It takes almost 25 milkettes in your coffee to equal a serving
4. The milk people put on their cereal usually adds up to about a half of serving only
5. A 500ml container of flavored milk equals 2 servings

I hope you have a great Tuesday and I will for sure talk to you tomorrow.  I have a fun announcement this week once all the details get ironed out.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty