Blueberry Muffin Smoothie – Dairy Free, Vegan and Paleo
Blueberries are such a glorious fruit. Of all the fruits, berries are my favorite. They are full of antioxidants, fiber and are just so darn pretty. Combine with flax seed for a fiber rich, filling, delicious smoothie.
Dairy-free, vegan and paleo. A healthy way to start the day or a delicious dessert treat. I was in the mood for a super sweet smoothie so I added 1 packet of organic stevia, stirred it in and it was perfect. That being said, this smoothie was already pretty sweet made without it.
Blueberry Muffin Smoothie - Dairy Free, Vegan and Paleo
I don’t think I will ever in my lifetime purchase jam or jelly from the store again. Not after making this super easy, incredibly good, ubber nutritious jam. Anyone, even people that aren’t really into the whole “eating right” thing will love this jam. It’s THAT good!
This jam makes me giddy for several reasons:
Only 3 ingredients
Gluten-free
Loads of antioxidants
No sugar added
Fiber, protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C
Can be made with so many different fruit options depending on what you love
No one will know how healthy this is unless you tell them
Another great way to sneak in your chia seeds. Did someone say almond butter and chia seed jam sandwich?
Because this recipe doesn’t call for the traditional canning method, it will only keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks. For that reason I only make small batches at a time. I find that 1 cup of fruit combined with the honey and chia seeds fits in a half pint Ball jar.
I made a couple of thin small coconut flour flat breadsand rolled them up into little crepes. You could even add a little ricotta. I’m absolutely doing that next time.
I, much like little kiddie hands enjoy a good fruity gummy snack but unlike kiddie hands, I care about the food coloring, preservatives, sugar and nutritional value in the foods I put in my body. Pretty exciting. I know, I live on the edge.
Real Fruit Gummy Snacks
Lucky for me, I found this great recipe for Real Fruit Gummy Snacks at Don’t Mess with Mama.I tweaked it a little bit and created my own awesome version.
There are only 4 all natural ingredients: organic pure fruit juice, organic blueberries, organic maple syrup and grass fed gelatin.
What makes me giddy (or kiddie as it were) about these is that there are no preservatives, no food coloring, no high fructose corn syrup, no added sugar, and use grass fed gelatin. They are also gluten-free and paleo!
I read about the health benefits from grass fed gelatin and was really surprised. According to Thank Your Body, these are just some of the benefits associated with grass fed gelatin. You can go to their site for more a more in-depth explanation.
Gelatin can help with overall joint and bone health (and reduce arthritis pain).
Gelatin improves hair quality, growth, and texture. (Want shiny, strong hair naturally? Take your gelatin!)
Gelatin can help with the aging process. As we age our bodies make less collagen and gelatin provides more elasticity!
Gelatin has been shown to improve nail strength and growth.
Gelatin has been shown to help digestion and even heal digestive disorders.
Gelatin is a cost-effective and nutritious way to get more protein in your diet. (Note: It is not a complete protein so it shouldn’t be your only source for protein.)
Gelatin has also been shown to help you sleep better.
It’s also been associated with improved metabolism, reduced cellulite, and as a treatment for non-seasonal allergies.
Real Fruit Chews completely satisfy my need for something sweet, chewy and fruity. These all natural chews are also nutritious.
Author: The Organic Rabbit
Recipe type: Snack
Ingredients
1 cup organic pure cranberry or pomegranate juice (I used a mixture of both)
1 cup frozen blueberries
3 tbsp organic pure maple syrup or raw honey
4 tbsp grass fed gelatin
Instructions
In a saucepan combine the berries and a ½ cup of juice.
Heat over medium heat stirring occasionally until the fruit is tender and softened
Add maple syrup
Use an immersion blender or Nutribullet to puree mixture
Transfer mixture to a glass bowl
Very gradually whisk in the gelatin. I whisked constantly and sprinkled the gelatin in the bowl a little at a time until gone and there were no lumps. (If you do end up with some lumps, use your immersion blender or Nutribullet to puree it smooth)
Add the last ½ cup of juice after everything is smooth and there are no clumps.
Pour into a glass pan (I used a 8.5 x 6.5 pyrex dish) or cute little silicon molds.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Cut into squares and eat.
***Word of caution if using a Nutribullet - let the mixture cool for a minute or 2 before putting in the Nutribullet. I put the mixture in while it was still hot and when I unscrewed the top after blending, it exploded all over the place. Blueberry juice on the ceiling. So let it cool before using a Nutribullet***
I know there are 2 sides of the coin when it comes to consuming animal proteins. Having been vegan for years, I recognize the beliefs/benefits of the health and morality of that lifestyle. For me personally, I was sicker than I ever being vegan and am the healthiest I’ve ever been now consuming animal protein. I am in no way endorsing or condemning the consumption of animal proteins, just sharing a recipe for those that do consume it.
With another snowstorm upon us in the Midwest, staying inside and keeping warm sounds just about right. But that doesn’t mean you can’t pretend it’s hot as blazes outside. I mean we don’t stop eating ice cream do we? Warm and cozy inside or hot as blazes outside still calls for a delicious sweet treat.
What do you get when you combine frozen blueberries and Greek yogurt? A sweet, nutritious, kid friendly snack that everyone will love. Even non-yogurt lovers!
Until recently I have never ever been a fan of yogurt of any kind. Trust me, I wanted to love it. My husband eats it like it was going out of style. But I recently found a way to love Greek yogurt and I can’t believe how simple it is.
Ingredients:
Organic blueberries (I used fresh)
Vanilla Greek yogurt (or any flavor of your choice)
Directions:
Seriously, these are so easy that you will be like “is that it”?
Line a pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil if you have no parchment paper. I used a glass pan because I like how cold they get.
Using a toothpick, dip each blueberry in the yogurt of your choice. Get it nice and covered. Place it on the parchment paper. Try not to let them touch otherwise they will all freeze in one big clump.
Place pan in freezer for about an hour.
Take pan out, enjoy fruity yogurt treat.
IF you have any leftovers just keep them in the freezer covered until the next time.
These are a delicious and fun healthy alternative to high sugar popsicles and ice cream. But I’m not waiting until summer, these are too good to wait for.
You can use this same technique with green grapes or even raspberries using any flavor of Greek yogurt. Let the kids make up their own flavor combinations.