For me, trying to beat Type 2 diabetes as well as the damage to my gut from the COVID medication I took a few years back, means I have to be eating a mostly good for me diet. I am not perfect, by any means, but I do try to eat healthy most of the time. What is healthy for me? That is a good question. It’s hard to say. One expert says no grains and starchy vegetables. Another says to eat a whole foods diet including those things. And yet another says to include meat-based protein in your diet. It’s all very confusing.
For the gut issues, one doctor even suggested that I check out the low FODMAP diet. But it seems like no one knows for sure what will help. It’s all very confusing. I did the Whole30 diet years ago, then switched to Paleo. I am actually thinking I might do that again, with less of an emphasis on meat this time. I am not ready to give it up all together, but I don’t think I need as much of it as I used to think.
So, while I try to figure things out for me, and I know what might work for me may not work for someone else, I am just going to share what I am eating and other things I am doing. One of those things is the addition of more vegetables and other healthy things. I love a good salad and have one most days. I also like to snack on raw vegetables, and during the warmer months of the year I love smoothies and smoothie bowls. I will have these once in a while during other times of the year but find them especially refreshing in the spring and summer.
My smoothies are not super sweet, usually. but do have a little sweetness to them. They also make a great alternative to milkshakes when using frozen produce, or ice cream if I want to blend them up and pour them into bowls and place in the freezer.
When making my smoothies, I do so in a personal blender rather than a normal size one. That’s all I have.
Green Smoothie Bowl with Fruit
Serves: 1 or 2, depending on whether you want to split it or not
For the Smoothie:
handful of kale
3 celery tops with leaves
1/2 cup water
- Blend those ingredients to liquify, then add:
1/2 tsp spirulina
1/2 tsp wheatgrass
1 tsp hemp hearts
1 heaping tbsp pea protein powder
1 heaping tbsp coconut milk powder
1/2 small banana
2 large strawberries
4 chunks pineapple
some avocado chunks
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
- Blend it all up and pour it onto one or two bowls.
Top with:
1/2 small banana
1 tsp ground flax
1 tsp chia
2 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
- Enjoy! You can put half in the fridge to have tomorrow if you’d like.
~ Shannon
