Your Luxe Smoothie Shelf

I feel extremely accomplished when I can justify a purchase.

Like the pair of dressier-than-necessary black shorts I bought in January. What inspired me to buy shorts in the dead of winter? Well, they had all of the right answers to my typical shopping questions:

1) How much will I use this?

2) How can I get more use out of it?

3) What does it go with?

Paired with black tights during the winter, I answered my first question. Using the black belt as a headband was answer to the second question. And well, they are black, so in my mind, they go with everything. Score. 

I ran through the same line of questioning during a recent shopping spree trip to the supermarket.

After a rather sluggish couple of months, I was anxious to fill stock up on energy-boosting ingredients. While I did spend a little more than I was hoping to, these five superstars go way beyond the call of smoothie duty.

Here, some ideas for making your dollars stretchhhh:

CHIA SEEDS

Small, crunchy and relatively flavorless, I'd always assumed these were reserved for the homegrown chia pets. So wrong. Once mixed into a liquid (water or almond milk) these tiny seeds look like caviar and take on the consistency of tapioca. Perfect for a omega-packed breakfast with sliced strawberries or sprinkled over your salad.

PROBIOTIC GREENS

Made from greens grown in high-altitude volcanic rock (I kid you not), this powder is super high in probiotics which is a cure-all for those with digestion woes. Sunwarrior mixes theirs with peppermint and stevia, so surprisingly, it doesn't taste like you're drinking lawn clippings. Sneak a little into zucchini soup, sprinkle over your yogurt, bake funkadelic green cookies or dye your St. Patty's Day cupcakes. Go crazy. 

ALMOND BUTTER

Peanut butter, who? That's how much I love this stuff. Former PB addiction is stuff of the past--almond butter is where it's at, friends. I add this to oatmeal, slather it in between a halved banana with honey or take it over to the savory side with a raw thai almond sauce.

COCONUT OIL

Yes, I actually put a small teaspoon of this elixir in my smoothies. What sounds weird at first is actually great for your heart, boosts energy and aids in digestion. I also keep a separate jar on hand to use as moisturizer. No, it doesn't cause breakouts. Yes, it's the best 'lotion' I've ever used.

GOJI BERRIES

We've chatted up gojis before. My affinity for them lives on. Sprinked on top of quinoa with coconut and dried fruit, blended into chocolate mousse, or mixed into a breakfast muesli, these chewy little gems get along with everyone.

These super-healthy ingredients really do work overtime!

Do you have any creative ways to use your top-shelf ingredients?

How to succeed on Mondays without really trying.

The one thing Monday owes us is empathy. Sleeping in, brunch with friends, late nights out and the general permission to laze around dissipates on Monday morning when the disturbing 6:00AM alarm sounds off.

[Note: I used to be an early riser. Now that I'm not, I've learned why it's called an alarm. The words 'dread' and 'panic' instantly come to mind when I wake up and realized that no, it's not Sunday. That was yesterday, and that's alarming.]

Generally speaking, when it's time to eat, I want to feel like I'm doing just that. But, there are a lot of studies that prove that starting your day with a smoothie or juice actually boosts your energy. Logic being that rather than wasting what little energy you have on breaking down a sandwich, your body can effortlessly digest a nutritious drink.

Brian and I are trying to start the spring and summer seasons on a healthy, trim note. We're not using the word 'diet'. We're just eating healthier, moving more and avoiding our typical weekend junk food.

[Inspiration here. And here. Just kidding.]

After three days of smoothie breakfasts, I have to say that I notice a difference. A certain lightness, if you will. Here's your breakfast drink in four steps:

1.) Choose your fruit. I used blueberries, strawberries and a banana, but you can use whatever you have on hand. Easy.

2.) Add something healthy. This morning I used flaxseeds. Yesterday it was almond butter. Something with protien and/or omega-3s will make this more of a satisfying meal.

3.) Choose your blending liquid. I prefer almond milk, but I've also used rice milk, yogurt, or even water in the past. Again, whatever you have will do. Too easy.

4.) Blend and congratulate yourself on being a beacon of good health.

The additional perk here is that this takes all of five minutes to make, so you can hit the snooze button once, if not twice. You've already beaten Monday at its own game.