Morning Smoothie

I have to have breakfast before I get going every day, or else I turn into a crazy lunatic.  Really.  Not joking about this, people.

Because I’m often running late, though, I have to be really fast about it. For that reason, I’m a big fan of smoothies… but there’s one problem.

They’ve got a great texture and are tasty, but they usually don’t fill me up.  I find that I am hungry an hour or two later, which defeats the purpose of a meal!

This may be that I don’t do dairy, so my concoctions are mostly fruit and a milk-substitute.  Today, though, I made one that is super healthy and creamy and kept me satisfied for a few hours.  I think that it’s the flax seed oil that made the difference, because everything else stays pretty much the same.

Anyway, it’s a quick, delightful way to get the day going.  Even better- this recipe is gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan.  Yet it still tastes good.  Hooray!

Berry Smoothie
makes 16 oz of gf, df, sf deliciousness

Blend the following ingredients together:
2 C frozen berry mix
1 C unsweetened almond milk (Almond Breeze)
1 T rice protein powder (Nutribiotic Vegan Rice Protein, plain)
1 T flax seed oil
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (or more, depending on your preference)
1 handful fresh spinach (washed)- optional

Weight Watchers PointsPlus Value: 5

Enjoy!

A Few Extra Minutes

I stayed in bed until 10 am this morning, and it was transformative.  I woke up late and then totally ignored all the responsibilities that lurked beyond the boundaries of the bed.  I lounged around, just breathing and taking in the softness of the sheets and how cushy the pillow was.  Utterly amazing.

I knew this was meant to be when the dog slept in, too; this never, ever happens.  She usually demands a walk by 8:30, but usually we’re up and moving much earlier.  Today, she was still snoring at 9:30.

It is really, truly incredible what those extra minutes in bed did for my mind and body.

Finally, after a long week and a half of being so. very. tired., I feel like myself again.  When I got up, I didn’t even rush into the things I had to do.  Chris and I took Honey for a walk and then had a chill birthday breakfast (his, not mine) down the street.  After coming home, I slowly tackled the day, taking care of one thing at a time, and working at a sensible pace.  I stayed peaceful and relaxed all day.

It’s nice to be back.

The best part of waking up

Posing

Enjoying the sun (and hashbrowns!)

Chris’ birthday breakfast