banana date nut shake {praise the heavens}

This one's a beaut. Easy, filling, energy-giving deliciousness all in the form of a milkshake!? Can life get any better? The answer would be no, except that I am going to continue my spree of Disney movies tonight with The Emperor's New Groove... that's really the only improvement that can be made here.

This shake was my dinner yesterday, before one crazy night in 'da club'. It kept me dancing and smiling until 4 am. Sometimes when I go out to party I will have a beer or a glass of wine, but often I'll just chug water the entire night. I sweat my booty off the whole time so keeping hydrated is mandatory! Anyhoo, no matter what you're or doing - or when you're doing it - this is an excellent THE BEST option for a snack, meal or sweet treat.

banana date nut shake: serves... me

2 frozen bananas 
1/2 cup dates (add according to your taste, I like things sweet)
1 tablespoon hemp seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon nut butter (optional)
Water or nut milk, as needed (1-2 cups probably)

Blend it all up. Feel free to add some cacao powder or whatever else you love. I like when there are chunks of dates in the shake because they are bite-sized happiness. Top off with cinnamon and nom it down. Or nom it up? I dunno. Just get it in you.

avocado banana chocolate milkshakes with vanilla bean coconut cream

I assure you, these WILL bring all the health-conscious and morally compassionate boys to the yard. What other kind would you want running around on your lawn anyway? The recipe is a rich, creamy, chocolate milkshake made with bananas, avocado and dates. I topped it off with whipped vanilla bean coconut cream and cacao nibs. It is actually perfection, and I don't take any credit - as per usual, this is all thanks to Momma Nature. 

If you don't like or have avocado, you can use this "milkshake" recipe instead. It basically just has more bananas and is equally delicious, in my humble opinion. 

I guess sometimes you just need to drink a giant whole food milkshake, not stopping to breathe, and fighting anyone who tries to steal a sip, then of course lick the glass clean afterwards... right!? I mean, it contributes to a healthy mind and body! Necessary pleasures are... necessary.

I WILL say that this recipe has a proud amount of fat - but don't run and hide from me just because I said that, okay? They are super healthy fats that your gorgeous bod needs to thrive. Just keep your other fat intake low on the day you eat this and you ain't got nuttin' to worry about. In fact - expect to see your skin and hair look a bit shinier. Coconut milk is mega awesome for you, and so is the mean, lean, green avocado.

avocado banana chocolate milkshakes with vanilla bean coconut cream: serves 3 or 4

Chocolate millshake or use this recipe:

1 avocado

1 banana

1 cup dates

1 large scoop Vega chocolate protein powder (or 2 tablespoons cacao powder + 1/4 teaspoon stevia)

1-2 cups vegan milk 

1-2 cups ice

Whipped coconut cream:

1 can coconut milk, left in the fridge or freezer overnight

Bean from 1/2 vanilla pod

1/8 teaspoon stevia 

To make the milkshake: blend all the ingredients until smooth, adding as much vegan milk and ice as needed to make it thick, creamy and cold. Adjust according to taste, then fill up 3 or 4 glasses.

To make the whipped cream: take the can out of the fridge - DON'T SHAKE IT! Open it gently and scoop off the solid fat that has settled on the top. Put it in your mixer bowl (I have a Kitchen Aid), or a normal bowl if you have a handheld mixer. Add the stevia and vanilla beans and whisk until stiff peaks form. Top off your glasses with it and enjoy the heck out of what you just made. 

banana strawberry milkshake

After my workout today I enjoyed a delicious strawberry milkshake with creamy bananas and Vega protein powder. Usually I add greens like fresh kale or spinach but alas - we had none. So a pink smoothie it was! Pretty refreshing, if I do say so myself. You already know how much I worship smoothies so I won't get into a rant about their holiness. I'll just leave you with the recipe and the promise of a really yummy Peanut Butter Coconut Cup recipe that I will share tomorrow. I think I've eaten like 4 today... 

Banana Strawberry Milkshake: serves one

1 banana

1 cup vegan milk or water

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 scoop protein powder or hemp seeds (optional)

Add more or less of everything depending on your preference. Blend it all up in your high speed blender and sip away. Watch for the brain freeze though... I learned my lesson 3 times over while drinking this - it's so tasty I can't stop. 

okay, oh kale

i love smoothies. i love kale. from that you can deduce: i love kale IN smoothies. or maybe not, because i also love garlic and ice cream... hm.

ANYHOO - we are running dangerously low on fruits and vegetables (meaning we have like seven apples) in my house this morning so instead of using a banana i used dates, and instead of fresh kale, i used frozen. it's still from our garden though! it was especially think and cold because everything i put was frozen: blueberries, strawberries and kale. i added ice cold almond milk and it was like a berry milkshake!

not exactly what is going to warm me up on a chilly vancouver morning but i just don't care - it's too freaking yummy to worry about regulating my body temperature. i made extra, so it will be a snack later too...

nevermind. i just drank it. 

berry kale smoothie: makes 5 cups

1 cup kale
1 cup frozen blueberries
3/4 cup frozen strawberries
2 cups almond milk
2 large dates

blend it all up. chug. 
actually don't chug it, you will get a brain freeze.

ultimate best chocolate milkshake

ever seen DQ's brownie batter blizzard? this is better. seriously you're gonna die (in the best way possible). this thing is DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS. So is this "milkshake" recipe, AND it has avocados!

the best part of course, is that it is good for you. it's mostly bananas, nut milk, cacao and dates. you could also add some protein powder. the first time i made this scrumptious chocolate monster was two days ago when my girl friend was over. our plan for the night was to dance, laugh and watch a lame movie. oh and eat amazing raw food! we accomplished all of it.

i improvised this in the kitchen before we left for my friends house and we couldn't BELIEVE how good it was. we freaked for like 10 minutes. i hadn't blended it completely so there were still small chunks of date and it seriously reminded me of a brownie batter blizzard from dairy queen. i made it for the second time today and did the exact same thing. oh my god all over again. this is a new favourite.

best freaking chocolate milkshake ever: serves 2 people (or me)

3 frozen bananas (peel before putting them in the freezer)

handful of dates

2 tablespoon cacao

1 tablespoon maple syrup/agave/other sweetener 

handful cashews or 1 tablespoon nut butter

2 cups water/non-dairy milk

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

handful ice cubes

blend all ingredients together until ALMOST totally smooth. for the love of all that is good, leave those tiny date pieces in there. it should be pretty thick just like a milkshake at this point, but maybe one of us forgot something so do what ya gotta do to make it how you want. then pour it in a giant glass and slurp it up with a big ole straw all by yourself, or with someone you love.

10 day juice fast: day 10

day 10 is here! and almost done! it's really strange to think i won't be only consuming juice tomorrow... i will be having solid food. crazy. a part of me is a little scared to go back to food. i know i'll have no regrets once i eat but i've gotten used to juice, and i love what the fast has done for me. at the same time, tomorrow is like christmas!

i spent my final day of fasting having a great time with amber. we drove downtown and got E3 Live shots at Buddha-Full. i won't lie... i prefer wheat grass. but then i LOVE wheat grass juice. i know some people think it's too strong but personally i think it's delicious and sweet on it's own! the E3 Live however was pretty bitter. we had orange and lemon slices for chase. 

what do you think of E3 Live shots? compared to wheat grass?

next we stopped at sejuiced and got... you guessed it. juice. amber is having a raw day :) i got the "body and soul" juice and she got something with "energy" in the name. can't go wrong there.

then we went to kits (hippie central: my home land) and visited banyen books. I LOVE THIS PLACE! my mom had been telling me it was my kind of store and that i needed to go for awhile now, but i didn't have a chance until today. oh boy. heaven. they had a book on tiny houses, a whole shelf dedicated to juicing, fasting and raw food (and two others for vegan, whole foods and vegetarian diets), and everywhere you looked was something to do with harmony, om, buddha, chimes, meditation music, and generally just beautiful things.

finally we walked down to the beach and sat on opposite ends. i was able to meditate and reflect on the past 10 days, as well as anticipate the near future and my feelings about both strands of time. exactly what i needed. after that i fell into a om-like state and have stayed that way since. i will sleep very well tonight i think, and wake up tomorrow to face a day of eating!

oh and i do want to mention, tonight i had some nut milk. this is my juice fast and i'll do it the way i want to, tonight i felt nut milk would hit the spot. some people might be stricter and consume nothing but juice for 10 days (which is essentially what i did, of course), but i'm totally fine with eating a strawberry here and there, and having nut milk on the last days. my body is thrilled either way ;)

i got an idea from this glass of milk actually... i'm gonna make a cashew banana chocolate milkshake tomorrow ;) stay tuned, my darlings! i want to thank you all for the support and positive energy you gave me during these past 10 days.