Going Bananas!

Anyone who knows me personally knows I am obsessed with Bananas.  I don't skip a day without having at least one banana. Being such a versatile fruit, I use them in baking, smoothies, oatmeal or just as a yummy snack.

Some are picky on the color of their bananas but I'll take them any color, the more spots the sweeter! Here are some helpful tips when it comes to storing bananas:

• If bananas are too green, put them in a brown paper bag with an apple or tomato overnight to speed up the ripening process.
• To slow down the ripening process store the bananas in the refrigerator, this causes the skin to darken but the flavor will be just right for a few days.  
• If your bananas are too ripe, cut them up and throw them in the freezer! This is a easy way to add sweetness to any smoothie and also acts as ice cubes.

 Now, what does this fruit have to offer?

• 20% of Daily Value of Vitamin B6
• 15% of Daily Value of Vitamin C
• 15% of Daily Value of Manganese 
• 13% of Daily Value of Potassium
• A single serving also contains 12% of the recommended dietary fiber intake for an adult. 

Here are some of my banana creations:

Baked oatmeal

 

Gluten Free waffles with PB

Smoothie 101

Making smoothies has always been fun for me but after getting the Nutribullet I've been on a smoothie craze.  Now, you could just throw whatever you have left in your fridge but here is a step-by-step guide I follow:

1. 50% Leafy Greens:  spinach, kale, romaine, spring greens, swiss chard, collard greens.
2. 50% Fruits: Apple, Avocado, Blackberry, Banana, Green grapes, Kiwi, Mango, Peach, Pear, Strawberry, Raspberries, Blueberries, etc.
3. 1/4 cup "Boost": Nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews); Seeds (Chia, Flax, Hemp); Super Chargers (Goji Berries, Acai Berries)
4. Add water (or any juice you prefer), Ice (if you want)
5. BLEND, BLEND, BLEND! 

Tips:

• Add 2 cups of greens to get the recommended full serving of leafy greens
• If you are a beginner in smoothies, add greens that are mild in taste such as spinach and spring greens as you work your way up to the others.
•  Eat sensibly throughout the entire day.
• If drinking in morning, drink a warm glass of water with lemon before. 
• Have fun experimenting!

A few of my Smoothies:

Banana, spinach, raspberries, almond milk

Spinach, raspberries, lemon, almond milk

Spinach, Avocado, Banana, Apple, Water

NutriBullet

I just got the NutriBullet for Christmas and was so ecstatic! I love making smoothies and having them for breakfast,  prior to getting the NutriBullet I made my smoothies every Sunday and had them for the following week.  This worked for the first few days, however the smoothie began to separate and decrease in taste.




I've been using my Nutribullet for about two weeks now and I love it, here are some reasons why:

• fresh smoothies every morning
• allows for variety 
• easy to use
• quick clean-up
• powerful
• extracts nutrients (easy digestion) 
• space saver
• portable
•  great source of fiber (juicing extracts fiber)
• durable
• price

Overall, I've only been using the Nutribullet for a short amount of time but that was more than enough to get me hooked, I will keep you updated on recipes I try with it over time.