Powders that Mix Well & Taste Delicious

Nutritional Powders are only as good as they mix and taste.

I think everyone is on board to enjoying a refreshing smoothie or green drink these days. I really enjoy making mine from fresh raw ingredients using a VitaMix power blender. I've got that down to a science now so it's almost like second nature.  It's just some days I'm in a hurry and need to throw some powder into a little almond milk or water to hit the road.

Rainbow Light's Chocolate Protein Energizer mixes easily and tastes delicious.

My VitaMix 5200 Power Blender combines raw produce with my nutritional powders.

Nutritional Powders  
Food based nutritional powders can make a big difference in your health and can help fill in the gaps in your diet when pressed for time. You can mix them with raw produce or use them alone or even in combination. I've tried all kinds of protein powders since my days at Gold's Gym.  Most I've had were clumpy, lumpy and bad tasting! One top of that, many on the market were made of the cheaper soy proteins which can cause bloating and indigestion. So starting with the protein based powders, here are my favorites for ingredients, ease of mixing and taste:

Best Tasting, Formulated & Mixable Protein Powders

1.) Rainbow Light Whey Protein Energizer
20 grams of protein, 15 servings per container
Pros: This powder has added energizing and digestive botanicals and enzymes. Comes in a space saving pouch. All of the Protein Energizers, (Whey, Chocolate & Acai Berry Blast) are absolutely delicious.
Cons: Recommends that a blender or shaker cup be used. 


2.) Reservage Grass Fed Whey Protein - Vanilla
20 grams of Protein, 12 servings per container
Pros: Incredibly scrumptious natural vanilla flavor. Has small amounts of Vitamin A and Iron but 20% of your RDA of calcium. Sourced from Grass Fed cows for natural rBST and rBGH hormone free whey. Mixes very easily.

Cons: None really but the Chocolate version of the Grass Fed Whey Protein flavor is not as tasty as the vanilla.


Best Food Based Powders
The following powders are more for nutrition, improving alkalinity and antioxidant support.  They offer concentrates of fruits and vegetables with out having to resort to the blender. 

1.) Re-Body Greens
25 calories per serving, 34 servings per container
Pros: Too many to list, actually! However for starters: Organic Chia seed and Kale powders plus a plant based probiotic & enzyme blend for optimal absorption. This product, while concentrated, is very easy to blend and contains additional grasses, sea algae and organic vegetables like broccoli and spinach. The taste is very good with a slight hint of kelp.
Cons: None 
  
2.) Nature's Approved Grape Seed Powder
23 calories per serving, 28 servings per container
Pros: Grape Seed has a very high ORAC index.  Its antioxidants are measured at minimum 165,000 umolTE/100 grams which is about 70 times that of blueberries. Extremely versatile and finely ground, it can be used in drinks but also added to pancake batter and bread recipes. Used topically, grape seed powder makes a wonderful addition to face creams, masques and cleansers. A little goes a long way.
Cons: None

Grape Seed Powder and coconut oil were both added to this scrumptious walnut-oatmeal bread

Secrets to Delicious Smoothies

My Vitamix Power Blender in action! Apples, carrots, cranberries & Acai Berry Blast Protein Energizer

Everyone has seemed to have gone smoothie crazy lately. Smoothies are somewhat of an off-shoot of the juice fast, raw food, gluten free & vegan lifestyles which I think are a step in the right direction.  It has already been noted that Americans eat far too much animal protein to be healthy. I remember having free range, hormone free chicken in Virginia (fried in lard no less) and noticed how little fat was actually on the fryer.  That was one lean bird! However, that's how most Americans ate up until recently.  Farms are more like factories today but I still remember what organic eggs from our free ranged chickens taste like as it wasn't that long ago.

So here I have some really good tips on making delicious smoothies that can start you on a healthier lifestyle, no matter how far you need to go.  I'm pretty experienced!  I got my first VitaMix nearly 20 years ago and began by serving my children whole fruit & vegetable juices back then....call them antique smoothies.

My first VitaMix.  It's still working but now it's in my son's family kitchen!

EQUIPMENT
There are all sorts of blenders and juicers on the market these days such as The Green Bullet, The Breville Juicer, The Juiceman II etc. When choosing one for making smoothies from raw ingredients you'll need three things:

Power: A 2 horse power motor will take care of most anything you can throw at it.
No Waste: Any machine that requires you to throw away or pre-peel your fruits and vegetables is not worth it. Pick one that offers whole-food juices. 
Easy to Clean: This is really important because if you have to take the machine apart to clean it each time, you are not going to use it often enough to make a difference.

You don't need to cut fruits & vegetables into tiny pieces before putting them in the VitaMix

INGREDIENTS
Another thing is that you shouldn't have to cut the fruit & vegetables up too much before processing them in your machine. I quarter my apples and break celery stalks in half but I use whole baby carrots and frozen produce with no trouble. In fact if that bunch of bananas is ripening too quickly to eat I simply peel and place them in a zip lock freezer bag. You can add them and other fruits and vegetables fully frozen to your machine.  You can use frozen blueberries, strawberries, peaches, kale, etc. which will be quite handy kept in your freezer.

PROTEIN POWDERS
My smoothies are actually a mini meal for me.  I usually drink one after my morning workout or bicycle ride as a recovery drink.  So to get the most out of my smoothie, I add a scoop of protein powder. I like berries a lot so if I'm making a smoothie with dried cranberries,(see lead photo), I'll add some Acai Berry Blast Protein Energizer by Rainbow Light.
Each scoop gives me 14 grams of brown rice protein (no bloaty soy), added fiber, digestive enzymes and antioxidants. It is sweetened naturally with Stevia so you only get less than 1 gram of sugar per serving. If I'm in a mocha mood, their chocolate version is so delicious and satisfying.  I often add some coconut and sunflower seed butter to some almond milk and add in a scoop of the Chocolate Protein Energizer.  Kind of like drinking a Reeses!  It makes a great after school snack or pick-me-up for the afternoon doldrums.

Chocolate and Acai Berry Protein Energizers can be added to whole food smoothies.

  
THE MIX
To avoid lumps and un-blended fruit and vegetable pieces, I load no more than two cups of water, ice and produce into the machine. I go from low then quickly blend up to the highest speed.  When it looks slushy but uniform in color, I add extra water and ice to get it to the drinkable consistency I want. If you store it in the refrigerator, use an air tight stainless steel water bottle and shake before drinking. The natural pulp will rise to the top after a while but shaking will mix it back in.

So these are just a few secrets I've learned to making nutritious, delicious blender smoothies every time.  It is easy to get your 5-6 serving of fruits and vegetables each day this way and as an added bonus, the VitaMix is self cleaning.  Just add a drop of dish detergent, fill with water, cap and whirl. A machine that is self-cleaning means you WILL use it, thus getting the full benefit of raw foods in your daily diet.

  

Beach Body in 7 Days

Some clever cheats to make you look sleeker in just ONE week!

Oh no!  You've just gotten an invitation to a beach or pool party.  Take hold of yourself and don't panic.  All you need is ONE week to transform yourself into the swimsuit diva within.  So what's the crash plan?

BRUSH UP YOUR FIGURE
We've already covered the benefits of dry brushing with a how - to video under Get Glowing: Dry Brushing but it bears repeating.  Use a simple boar bristle brush or loofah and brush arms, legs and torso with long strokes towards your heart.  Follow with a shower with a Clarisonic Body Brush. You should see a difference after three days, especially if you apply Skinny Tone afterwards.

SUNLESS SPRAY TANNING
If you're really in a hurry, you can cheat a lovely tan in a few hours with an airbrush.  We like Dinair's Sunless Tanning Airbrush Set.  This works especially well if you've already done the Dry Brushing routine as the tanning solution will go on much more evenly.

SUNLESS TANNING CREAMS

While you'll have to figure out which creams work best for your particular skin tone, a few drugstore brands I like include Jergens Natural Glow Series.  The Jergens Natural Glow FIRMING is what you want as it contains seaweed and will firm you up in about 7 Days.  The Jergens Natural Glow PROTECT has sunblock and will give you color plus UVA protection.

SKIN SHIMMER
You can top off your sleek looking faux tan with a little shimmer which always gives you that healthy, beachy glow.  Victoria's Secret is known for using their own glittery products on their Angels lingerie models but you can take a page from them.  I like Hawaiian Tropic's Shimmer Effect which is a SPF 20 lotion sunscreen with mica minerals.  


BEACH BODY NUTRITION

A Nutritional Program for a sleeker you in 7 Days!

While I surely do NOT advocate crash or fad diets, this protocol is a healthy alternative to boost your metabolism, facilitate an inner cleanse and lower body fat all without losing important muscle mass.  Here's the food program to follow for one week:

Morning:  Upon awakening, take one Terry's Naturally Tri-Iodine Capsule.  This will jump start your metabolism for the day and give your thyroid the nutrition it needs to perform at its peak.

Breakfast is one 8 oz serving of Rainbow Light's WHEY Protein Energizer.  If you are really hungry in the morning, add 1/2 banana or 1/2 tbsp Natural Peanut, SunButter or coconut oil to the mix and blend.  

Lunch: Eat a normal, sensible lunch but take 1 tbsp of Saf Slim High Linoleic Safflower Oil just before you eat. 

Dinner: Same thing for your last big meal of the day.  1 tbsp of Saf Slim before dinner.  Focus on lean protein and complex carbohydrates like non-starchy vegetables, whole grains and legumes.

Snacks: Snacking is good, just pick low fat cheese, hard boiled eggs, raw vegetables and plenty of ICE COLD WATER.  I keep my Insulated Klean Kanteen filled with ice water for just that purpose.  Ice cold water boosts your fat burning ability more than drinking warm or room temperature liquids.

Exercise:  Aim for 30 minutes a day.  It can be cardio one day and lifting weights the next.  Just mix it up and get moving. 

Throw Them a Curve:

Here's another little secret from those Victoria's Secret Angels. Style Secrets Shaping Inserts.
Sometimes you just need to balance out things a bit. These shaping inserts hide under your favorite swimsuit top for added lift and shaping.  They look and feel like silicone implants but without the cost and risks.  Simply insert them in your favorite bikini top, (most higher end bathing suit tops have removable pads) and BOOM, instant curves. 

That's it!  Your new tanned look and weight loss will have you renewed without feeling deprived or losing important muscle tone.  Savor the Summer that's for you to enjoy with our video below.  Now are you beach ready?

Cool Protein Shakes to Go

Rainbow Light Acai Protein Energizer & Stay Fit EZ Freeze Protein Shaker

Sometimes mornings can be hectic.  You may not always have the luxury of being able to leisurely sip your favorite smoothie.  When pressed for time or just want something light to drink on the road, I mix up a Rainbow Light Protein Energizer.  It has whey and 14 grams brown rice protein plus a lot of antioxidants and a bit of fiber.  Rainbow Light Protein Energizers contain NO soy, gluten, dairy or added sugar.  Combined with the Stay Fit EZ Freeze Protein Shaker, I have an instant breakfast that stays totally chilly until I have time to drink it.  Just pop the bottom of the Protein Shaker in the freezer, fill and go.

Stay Fit Protein Shaker keeps your shake cold for hours

If you have natural food based ingredients in your shake, spoilage is always going to be a problem.  Not so with the Protein Shaker.  Take it with you on your walk or to the gym...it will be chilling for you.  There is a little knob to secure the drink spout lid so you can chug way.  The top and bottom half twist off for easy cleaning.  It's like having a little cooler for your protein shake. Here are some Protein Shaker Features:

• BPA Free
• Non-toxic freezer gel keeps it cold & fresh
• Perfect for meal replacement drinks
• Simply freeze, fill & go
• Holds 10 oz liquid
• Graduated measurement up to 8 ozs

Super Chocolate Protein Shake 

Studies have shown that athletes who had chocolate milk recover faster than those who drank other beverages.  You can ditch the extra fat and sugar but amp up the antioxidants and flavor with MY delicious chocolate protein shake recipe:

1 Cup low fat milk (you can substitute almond or rice milk)

1 Scoop Rainbow Light Chocolate Protein Energizer

1/2 Teaspoon Cocoa or instant coffee

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 ice cubes

Throw everything into the pre-chilled Protein Shaker and SHAKE!  That's it.  No blender, no mixing, no lumps.  On days that I have a bit of time, I will add home made Almond Milk and or Sunbutter Sunflower Seed Spread to this recipe by way of my VitaMix power blender.  The raw almonds and Sunbutter add extra protein, Omega 3 fatty acids and nutrition while keeping you feeling fuller a bit longer.  Even better... it's absolutely DELICIOUS!  Check out The New Woman's Herbal & Nutritional Guide for even more healthy eating tips & recipes.

The New Woman's Herbal & Nutritional Guide available now at Amazon.com

Best Juice Cleanse

A successful Juice Cleanse includes more than just organic fruits!

Many celebrities are doing updated juice fasts for 3-5 days to loose weight, increase energy and simply feel better.  Some even have their own organic juice products that can be delivered to your door for a mere $60 a day.  I think we can do a LOT better than that!  I am a certified nutritional consultant and the author of several health & fitness titles (see some of my books in the bottom right hand column).  In The New Woman's Herbal & Nutritional Guide I caution breast cancer patients to beware of soy based products. Breast cancer survivors who are in remission should avoid phytoestrogens like soy.  Soy is often added to many liquid diet cleanse products because of its protein value.  However, it is not the best choice for your digestion.  A rice based protein source such as Rainbow Light's Protein Energizer is preferred.  No bloating, easy to digest and it will give you the added protein and fiber a pure fruit and vegetable juice fast will leave out.  The quick weight you lose when you don't get enough protein is often muscle, not fat.  You should also still take a multi-vitamin during your juice cleanse such as Rainbow Light's Organic Women's Multi.

Stainless Steel Polar Bottle- water is a must!

Juicing 101

First of all you'll want to pick fresh, ripe organic fruits and vegetables for your juice.  Organic blueberries can be purchased frozen and are loaded with high level (ORAC) rated antioxidants due to their dark color.  You can also purchase organic spring greens year round which will not alter the taste like cole family vegetables, (i.e. cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts).

Both frozen berries and organic salad greens blend easily into a delicious juice you won't mind drinking at all!  Here is one of my favorite blends:

East Coast Juice Cleanse

1 cup crushed ice

1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries

1/2 cup organic red seedless grapes

1 cup organic mixed spring greens

1 scoop Rainbow Light's Acai Berry Blast Protein Energizer

Whirl all of these ingredients on high until liquid, adding a bit of water if too thick.  I often make double and pour half in a stainless steel Polar Bottle and save it for the next day.  Be sure to get plenty of water during your Juice Cleanse both inside and out.  Accelerate your skin's detox by using a Clarisonic Mia shown here in in Spring BLUE!

Shake the Weight Program!

Come on, 2011 is YOUR year to Shake the Weight! Yes, we've all put on a few extra pounds from those holiday parties and treats. Plus who had time to hit the gym? Start the year off right with our week's worth of delicious shakes guaranteed to kick it up a notch. Build lean muscle and lose fat with a Rainbow Light Shake - a - Day!

You'll have a delicious shake for breakfast or lunch as a ONE meal substitute. You won't get bored because you'll find a lot of variety to be had with Vanilla, Acai Berry Blast and Chocolate Protein Energizers! Our recipes incorporate enzyme rich fruits, vegetables and nutritional supplements to add flavor, fiber and satisfaction to your shake-meal. Here's the first up with a few optional ingredient ideas.


Rainbow Light shakes mix easily with milk, water or juice. Rice based, they give you a whopping 15 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving. Start your day with one of these shakes and see how much more energy you'll have through lunch....without being hungry!

Here is the rich Chocolate Protein Energizer with a teaspoon of Chocolate Ovaltine and a half scoop of IVL's All Day Energy Greens added to low fat milk and crushed ice. These extra nutritional supplements are optional as the Protein Energizers are complete on their own. However, if you've over-indulged a bit, these extras can help with detoxification and energy levels. I used a shaker cup for this so it was super fast and blended completely. You don't need a blender with these Rainbow Light Shakes unless you want to add fresh pureed fruit. This is my "After New Year's Eve Party" detox mix so after all that champagne, I'm in no mood to hear the whirl of a blender. Here you go:

Rich Chocolate Protein Energizer Shake Recipe

1 scoop Rainbow Light Chocolate Protein Energizer

1 tsp Chocolate Ovaltine

1/2 scoop All Day Energy Greens

8 ozs Low Fat Milk, (Almond or Rice Milk is also good)

4 ozs Crushed Ice

Throw everything into an IVL Shaker Cup which contains a mesh strainer and shake vigorously. Pour and drink! This is an easy no-blender recipe to get you rolling PLUS it's absolutely scrumptious.

Check out some more yummy options for serving up these delicious fat trimming shakes and exercising in the cold at the X-Training BLOG's SHAKE OFF WINTER WEIGHT article. Cheers!