Healthy Snacks and Treats

2. Organic and gluten-free coconut

and chocolate macaroons

3. Dried fruits (sans the sulfites)

4. Gluten free cakes and cookies

5. High quality chocolates like

Dagoba (dagobachocolate.com)

…And here are some of Paul Chek’s

personal favorites (for those of you

who gotta know what the big guy

likes)

1. Baked squash with cinnamon and

coconut cream

2. Fresh fruit

3. “Chaga Chunks” made

by American Wild Foods

(americanwildfoods.com)

4. “Parched Corn” made by

American Wild Foods

5. Plantains fried in Ghee

6. Organic sprouted corn tortillas

with peanut butter and Canadian

Maple syrup.

8. Organic corn chips and organic

salsa

9. Baked sweet potato

10. Dried mango and dried papaya

I think probably the number one question I am asked as a CHEK certified holistic lifestyle coach is, what do I eat for snacks? Here are some great ideas I just received from the Chek Institute newsletter and they are all GREAT! Thought I'd share...

1. Real Bars (therealbar.com)

or Kawaii Bars (kawaiibar.

com) - Both made by C.H.E.K

Practitioners

Win A Vitamix 5200 from Blender Girl!

Win a Vitamix 5200 in Blogger Giveaways Sweepstakes | Healthy Blender Recipes

 

WIN a Vitamix 5200 in The Blender Girl's January Sweepstakes Giveaway. Enter and share on Twitter and Facebook to increase your chances of winning! Good Luck!

If you are so inclined, you can tell her I sent you. My name is The Green Smoothie Challenge.

Let me know if you win!!!

Get Spoonked in 2012!

It's not often that I recommend products that you can't add to a smoothie, but I recently met the creator of Spoonk™ and fell in love... with the mat he and his wife created. The Spoonk™ Mat is based on the principles of the Indian bed of nails and Japanese shiatsu massage. They may stimulate specific reflex points throughout the body to release blocked energy, ease tense muscles and create deep mental and physical relaxation. You can stand on the mat or lie on it. 

Check out this preview of the mat on the Merilyn Dennis Show.
Find the mat on Amazon here.

And best of all, YOU can win a mat by taking the Facebook Challenge during your Challenge! Be on the Facebook page encouraging others and posting about your progress, your favorite recipes, asking questions and interacting and I'll put you in my drawing for a Spoonk™ mat which will take place on January 11, 2012.

Perfect Winter Challenge Broth

 I learned how to make this broth from Donna Gates at the Body Ecology Diet Website. It is a perfect addition for your winter Challenge.

During the day, drinking the broth or eating the soup below will gently remove toxins that have accumulated in the body and clear heat in the system, which is the product of a heavy diet.

Winter Detoxifying Soup:

• head of chinese cabbage
• bunch of celery
• several carrots
• 3 -4 shitake mushrooms
• 2 -3 inches of burdock root
• peel of one tangerine
• one inch piece of turmeric root
• 1 c. mung beans
• 1/2 c. job's tears, found in Asian Markets
• strip of kombu seaweed
• celtic sea salt to taste

**I linked some of the above ingredients to helpful articles that will familiarize you with each one!

1. When possible, make sure all ingredients are organic. Roughly chop the cabbage, celery, carrots, mushrooms and burdock root. Finely chop the turmeric.
2. Fill a large cooking vessel with plenty of water. Place kombu strip in water.
3. If using mung beans or job's tears, add these, bring to a boil and cook first for 20 minutes on very low heat.
4. Next, add vegetables, roots and the mushrooms.
5. Let everything simmer on a low flame for 20 - 30 minutes.

All of the ingredients of this soup are cooling, detoxifying and many, such as cabbage and turmeric, treat inflammation. The medicinal value of the soup is in the liquid.

Thyroid Safe Smoothie

Thyroid Safe Smoothie Recipe: Are you struggling with low thyroid as many, many people are now? If so, you may have heard that raw, dark green cruciferous vegetables are not good to eat. I believe this to be true. So, what are you to do if you want to take the Challenge? Fear not, I have the solution!  Cruciferous veggies contain substances called goitrogens which can slow down the thyroid. Cruciferious veggies include broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, rutabagas, turnips, kohlrabi, kale, and collards. Some say spinach, strawberries, peaches and almonds can have an affect as well, so if you have low thyroid, avoid these along with soy. Does this mean you can't do the Challenge or drink smoothies? My first rule is to always listen to your body. If you decide to drink the altered smoothie I am about to teach you, and you begin to not want it, you may do better on soup instead. I will talk about some good soup and broth recipes you can use later. For now, I have totally changed up my smoothie making so as not to affect my thyroid in a negative way. I actually reacted very badly after ingesting way too many raw cruciferious veggies over a very long period of time. I no longer do these everyday either. Making a veggie juice out of the exact ingredients I am going to show you is another GREAT way to remineralize your body without causing damage to your thyroid. Vegetable and bone broth are amazingly healing as well although bone broth is very building so only use when weightloss and cleansing are not the goal. The key is to listen to your body. Maria's Thyroid Friendly, Sugar Free Green Smoothie: 1 small zucchini 1 medium cucumber 3 stalks celery 1 small handful parsley 1 small handful cilantro 1/2 lemon, mostly peeled 1 inch piece of ginger Optional- 1 green apple 1 TBS coconut oil Fresh aloe May add berries or other fruit if that works for your body. I do not add fruit to mine. A little stevia should be OK if you need a sweetener.