I recently completed a 14 day whole-foods detox as a way to reboot my energy and step back from some habits that weren’t supporting me to feel my best.  It felt so good to do this for myself and unlike some detoxes in the past, where I struggled from beginning to end, this one felt easy and natural.  I realized there are two main factors for this difference. 

The first is mindset.  All the work I’ve done to find peace with food and my body are most noticeable when I challenge myself to a detox and only eat 100% clean food for 2 weeks.  I still remember my first detox where each craving felt like torture and each food I had to give up felt like a sacrifice… a totally exhausting approach to food! Now I have so much more flexibility and range of choice with how I respond to triggers and challenges.  Much more empowering!
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The second difference is that I take extra care to prepare foods that bring pleasure, are satisfying, and taste delicious.  My favorite smoothie, the "Super Charged Cacao" is one of the best examples of how food can be both healthy and delicious and is why I'm excited to share this recipe with you!

| Packed with antioxidants  
The raw cacao, spinach, blueberries, and maca in this smoothie are rich in antioxidants which are essential to protecting our bodies from the damage (think premature aging and illness) caused by free radicals.

| Boosts mood and energy
Raw cacao and maca powder are both great for energy, something I’m always interested in having more of! And as an extra bonus cacao turns on the hormones that help us feel happy while maca has been shown to help support our adrenals, the hormones responsible for our stress response.

| Brain health 
Coconut milk, raw cacao, and maca all play a part in keeping our brains sharp and healthy.  If you want better memory, more clarity, and sharper focus these foods are a great place to start.
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| Reduces inflammation   
Both spinach and blueberries are known to be top anti-inflammatory foods.  Why is it important to include these in your diet?  As outlined in this article from the Harvard Medical School “Many major diseases that plague us—including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, depression, and Alzheimer's—have been linked to chronic inflammation.”   That kind of info always inspires me to up my nutritional game!

| Stabilizes blood sugar
Because it has the magic combo of fat, fiber, and protein (the essential foundation to stable blood sugar) and uses low glycemic fruits you will get sustained energy from this smoothie rather than the roller coaster ups and downs that come from highly processed and sugary foods.

​And just in case all of those ninja nutrients aren’t enough to convince you to add this to your daily routine the flavor will definitely be a selling point. Because seriously… why not start the day with chocolate!

Happy sipping!
​Janna

Serves 2+
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1 cup coconut water or plain filtered water
½-1 cup almond milk
2 Tbs full fat coconut milk
1 scoop protein powder (Garden of Life Raw is the one I use)
1 Tbs raw cacao powder
1 Tbs ground flax meal
1/5 of an avocado
Pure vanilla extract, to taste (I like a lot)
5-8 drops stevia or to taste
1 tsp. maca powder
2-4 oz. baby spinach
1 pear, seeded and sliced
½-3/4 cup blueberries
4-6 ice cubes if you like it cold 

• Add everything to blender and blend very well.

Notes:

• Frozen fruit is fine.
• Any of the ingredients can be adjusted to your taste.
• If you need it a little sweeter you can add ½-1 banana but note that this will raise the glycemic index.

I freely and unabashedly admit that summer is my all-time favorite season!  I know this isn’t true for everyone and that’s ok, but for me there’s nothing better than waking up every day and knowing that there’s not even a chance of being cold.  And because it always seems to go by in a flash, it’s the perfect time for me to practice slowing things down so that I can fully savor and maximize my summertime bliss.

I have many, many things I love about summer.  Here are a few...

I am not an avid beach person (I know this is sacrilege to many shore goers), however I do adore soaking up the sun any chance I can get.  If I’m having an off day or feeling stressed or a little down, it can change my whole mood to simply go outside for 10-15 minutes, sit in the warmth and appreciate the gratitude I feel for the sights, sounds, and smells of summer.

As a confirmed fresh food addict, summer is hands down the best time of year to experience the most amazing produce from farmers markets, local groceries, and CSAs.  There is only one down side to this which is that I seem to be somewhat susceptible to over buying whenever I’m faced with this veggie extravaganza. Fortunately every down has an upside and the upside to too many veggies is that I get to spend lots of time surfing food blogs looking for new recipes to try...yummm!

What is it about summer that suddenly triggers the need to dive into a pile of books?  Now, truth be told I am a year round reader, however, it seems that in the summer I find it’s even easier to justify stealing moments here and there to get lost in a book.

Summertime has its own type of hustle and bustle which I try not to get swept up in.  I’ve found one of the most relaxing ways for me to connect with the people I love is to have casual dinners where everyone brings something to share.  This keeps it simple and fun.

OK...I admit this is a shameless plug for smoothies because I love them beyond all reason.  They are delicious, nutrient dense, easy to make and I believe they just might be one of the single most powerful catalysts for healthy living.  Why??  I’m so glad you asked!  I think their secret lies in the fact that they taste so darn good - which means we’ll keep making them and eating them.  And since you can sneak all kinds of awesome ingredients into them like spinach, kale, avocado, cucumber, and every type of fruit imaginable you will have a power-packed meal that keeps you energized and satisfied for hours.

If you’ve never tried one before, check out the recipe below.  It’s my favorite summer smoothie and has even been my dinner a time or two when the days are hot.

Whether that means swinging in a hammock, reading books, hanging with friends, trying a hula-hoop for the first time, walking on the beach, or simply eating outside, summertime is designed for relaxation and enjoyment.   So don’t forget to slow things down a bit and enjoy this beautiful and abundant time of year.

Serves 1

1 cup almond milk or almond milk and water combined
2-4 oz. baby spinach
1⁄2- 3⁄4 frozen banana (peeled and in small chunks)
1⁄2 of a fresh or frozen peach in small pieces
A few orange sections (optional)
1-2 dates, preferably soaked overnight in fridge
1 T raw almond butter
2 t pure vanilla extract
A few drops of pure organic almond extract (or leave out if you prefer) 
3-5 ice cubes

• Add to almond milk, blend & serve.