Food Alert!

Hell yeah! It's the first Food Alert of 2012, and it is goooooood!

For the past two or three weeks I have been surpressing this crazy craving for a kale and banana smoothie, among other things. Finally, last night I made it to Whole Foods by the skin of my chinny chin chin and bought a bunch of kale ($2.49 each; thank God for tips, right), bananas ($0.69 a lb), one carton of AlmondMilk ($1.29, 365 brand), and a carton of Soy milk ($1.99, 365 brand).

Helpful tip of the day:

I was about to buy a $3 carton of the soy milk in the refrigerated section when I noticed that there was an entire section dedicated to cartons of every vegan milk you can imagine - from hemp to almond. I wanted to try the Tempt brand of hemp milk, but realized that that is a splurge for some other time. I saved myself two whole bucks buying the cartoned milk instead. It lasts so much longer, and I was able to buy two different kinds. Needless to say, I walked out a very happy woman.

So, this morning, after I forced myself out of bed I blended up the best damn green smoothie you'll ever lay your eyes on. I call it the Better than Raw Kale smoothie. It is so good, and damn good for you, too.

Now, if kale were a comic book character it would be Professor Xavier from X-Men. This vegetable is full of mad crazy super powers. It's closely related to other awesome veggies like broccoli, and brussel sprouts (which are great steamed, by the way). Kale is an awesome possum antioxidant and acts as an awesome digestive aid. It has all the vitamins you need - A, B-6, C, E and even K. Vitamin A is good for tissue growth and eye health, among other things. I got this little paragraph of info about the other vitamins kale provides from livestrong.com (def a site you should consider visiting sometime):

"Your skeletal tissues, skin and hair rely on vitamin A for renewal and repair. By maintaining the mucous membranes that line the inner surfaces of your body, vitamin A helps protect you against infection from pathogenic organisms. Vitamin B-6 helps your body to produce the antibodies that fight illness and promote healthy brain and nerve function. Vitamin C facilitates tissue repair and wound healing, boosts immunity and providing antioxidant protection against pathogens and toxins. Vitamin E also offers antioxidant protection and plays a role in the formation of red blood cells. Vitamin E enables your body to use vitamin K, which assists in blood clotting and bone formation."

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/305663-kale-vitamins/#ixzz1inKhPIAW

In short this smoothie is the prime day starter. You get your omega three's from the ground flaxseed, potassium from the bananas, and more vitamin A, C, and E, plus selenium and folic acid from the mangoes.

What are you standing there for? Get blending!

Better than Raw Kale Smoothie

2 small or 1 big leaf of Kale (any kind)
1 banana
1 mango, skin peeled (any kind)
1 tbs ground or milled flaxseed
1 tsp agave
2 1/2 cups vegan milk (soy, almond, rice, or hemp, your choice; I used almond)

Toss everything into your blender, and blend on low for 5-6 seconds. Switch to high and blend for 1 minute before going back to low and blending for another 5-6 seconds. Blend one more time on high for 1 minute and end blending on low for a couple seconds.

Voila!

Enjoy your creamy, delicious goodness! From my kitchen to yours, happy blending, folks!!

Yours truly,