OK, I'm Awake Smoothie

So, I've started training to run in my first 5k in July and following a modified version of the Couch-to-5k program.   I've wanted to run a 5k for a while, but given my state of health in the past, training went more like couch-to-refrigerator.

Anyway, I woke up this morning utterly exhausted after last night's training run and needed something to wake me up to deal with the Monday morning slog back to work.

I LOVE spicy things and wanted to make something using cayenne and hot sauce.  This is a simple recipe, but provides enough kick to get going and not grasp for the bed.

OK, I'M AWAKE SMOOTHIE
2 cups organic baby spinach
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 1/2 cups filtered water
2 cups frozen mango
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tbsp hot sauce
1 handful Sing Buri Cashews (from Sahale Snacks)
1 tbsp turbinado sugar (optional)


Put all ingredients in a blender and mix until it becomes a smooth  light green mix.  


(If you have a crappy blender like I do, you may need to stir it up every few seconds to distribute the mango.)

Nutty Strawberry Pear Smoothie

I love nuts.  Cashews.  Almonds. Pecans.  I love 'em all.  So, naturally I have been working on how to incorporate them into my morning spinach smoothies.   Whole Foods sells flavored cashews from Sahale Snacks that have really caught my taste buds.  The Sing Buri Cashews are my favorite which blends the cashews with pineapple, peanuts, lemongrass, and mild Chinese chile.  When blended into a smoothie, it provides just enough "grit" to still be drinkable, but provide a distinctive flavor.  

NUTTY STRAWBERRY PEAR SMOOTHIE

2 cups organic baby spinach

1 cup vanilla coconut milk

2 D'Anjou pears cut into pieces

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup filtered water

1 handful Sing Buri Cashews

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until mixture has a solid dark red/purplish color.

Pineapple Pepper Smoothie

Since we switched to a vegan diet 2 weeks ago, I start each morning with some oatmeal and some sort of smoothie in which spinach is usually the only vegetable surrounded by lots of frozen fruit.  Today, however, I decided to be a little bold and include a yellow bell pepper.  Keeping with the "yellow" theme, I also used some frozen pineapple and mango.  

After several attempts to get the blender to finally crush all the frozen stuff, I was ready to try this peppery concoction.  It was actually quite refreshing and for once I didn't have to dump it down the drain and start over.  Mixing agave nectar helps neutralize the strong flavor of the pepper while still preserving that kick in the pants sensation that the pepper provides.  

I used 1/2 of a yellow bell pepper, but you may want to use less if you afraid the flavor might be too overpowering.  

Cheers!

PINEAPPLE PEPPER SMOOTHIE

2 cups organic baby spinach

1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or soy milk)

1/2 cup water

1/2 yellow bell pepper chopped

1 cup frozen pineapple

1 cup frozen mango

agave nectar to taste

Put all ingredients in the blender and mix until smooth.