The groundwork for all happiness is Health (and chocolate).

I love to start my day off healthy by making sure I have a nutrition packed breakfast (i.e. a ton of organic fruits and veggies and a few superfood powders). Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day as it provides your body with fuel (calories=energy) to get your brain started, while also getting the metabolism fired and ready to burn calories. Even more, eating a healthy breakfast keeps you from binge eating during snack, lunch and dinner and stabilizes your blood sugar, ultimately keeping your hormones balanced and your adrenal glands happy. The Standard American Breakfast–eggs, bacon, toast and orange juice–is outdated and a sure proof ticket to weight gain, an over acidic body and even cardiovascular issues, not to mention packed with chemicals, GMO’s and most likely added sugar. Move over bacon and eggs…a plant based lifestyle is the key to optimal health!

Yes, the key to optimal health is ensuring you are getting plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet on a daily basis. Plant foods are not only alive (as opposed to meat and fish), but contain high amounts of antioxidants, bioflavonoids, carotenes and vitamins and minerals that fight inflammation, destroy free radicals and support the immune system. I like to try to get at least 9-10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day into my diet and I achieve this easily by having a smoothie for breakfast. Below I share three of my favorite smoothie recipes that provide tons of essential vitamins and minerals and an immense amount of antioxidants. All three will leave you feeling so-so good! Plus, I share with you a raw cacao ball recipe…yes, you can eat chocolate for breakfast! Healthy eating does not mean you have to deprive yourself of your favorites–it just requires getting creative and using superior ingredients.

Raspberry Superfood Smoothie

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 c. frozen raspberries
• 2 frozen bananas
• 3/4 c. nut milk
• 1-2 big handfuls of washed spinach
• 1 tsp. spirulina
• 1 1/2 tsp barely grass juice powder
• 1 tsp of your favorite superfood powder: noni, acai, amla, moringa or maca
• 1 scoop of your favorite plant protein powder (optional)
• 1 tbs. chia seeds + 1 tbs. pumpkin seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients (excepts nuts and seeds) until smooth
2. Top with chia seeds and pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin Banana Smoothie

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1/3 c. coconut milk
• 3 frozen bananas
• 1/2 c. organic pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. pumpkin spice blend (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, star anise)
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder (optional)
• 1 tbs. chia seeds (optional)
• 1/4 c. walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients (excepts nuts and seeds) until smooth
2. Top with chia seeds and walnuts or nuts/seeds of choice

Mango Surprise Smoothie

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. frozen mango
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 c. frozen riced cauliflower (yep, the surprise!)
• 1/2 c. coconut milk
• 1 tsp. moringa powder
• 1 tsp. barely grass juice powder (optional)
• 1 tsp. amla powder (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. spirulina (optional)

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients (excepts nuts and seeds) until smooth
2. Top with pumpkin seeds or chia seeds

Raw Cacao Balls

Makes 8-9 balls

Ingredients:

• 1 c. almond meal
• 1/4 c. raw cacao powder (not cocoa)
• 4 tbs. maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. chaga powder (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined
2. Form mixture into balls and place on decorative plate
3. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days

Cacao is the purest, healthiest form of chocolate you can consume. This is because it is not heated at high temperatures, nor is it processed. And because it is raw (not heated above 118 degrees), this means it maintains all of its remarkable nutritional qualities. Cacao is an excellent source of magnesium, a mineral needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in our body. In fact, magnesium is responsible for helping the brain and body relax. This truly equates to that relaxing cup of warm cacao near an open fire during the holidays (homemade of course with a healthy sweetener like maple syrup or honey). In fact, one ounce of cacao has 63.8 mg of magnesium. The daily recommended values of magnesium for men is 350 mg per day and 300 mg for women. So that cup of cacao is actually a nice little mineral boost during the day. (Murray, 2005) Read more about cacao here.

These chocolate balls may not look like much, but they taste so divine. And chocolate for breakfast is just awesome! Who says you can’t have it all?;)

Cheers to optimal health!

<3

References:

Murray, M., Pizzorno, J., & Pizzorno, L. (2005). Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. New York, NY: Atria Books