Wellness Wednesday- Fall Superfood Smoothies & Time Saving Prep Tips

Fall Superfood Smoothies and Time Saving Prep Tips

Hello Yogis!

I'm Alyssa and new to this community so I was super excited when Ventura Pop-Up Yoga approached me to share my smoothie prep tips. I moved to Ventura just a little over a year ago and began practicing yoga around the same time. I didn't just fall in love with the weather and the beaches of this city, I've fallen in love with the people. I have never been so immersed with such inspiring and supportive individuals that welcomed me with open arms, ready to share with me their wellness. I quickly learned this is a common theme in not just Ventura as a city but within the yoga community that we have here. Yoga has been so life changing for me in many ways but it really kick-started me on a journey to health and I am happier and more well than I have ever been in my life. It excites me to give back a little something by sharing this post since I have been receiving so many gifts of knowledge and support from others.

I have always been a fan of smoothies, and green smoothies have been a staple in my routine for quite some time. They really jump-start my day and give me more energy than a latte. My favorite thing about a morning smoothie is that no matter what choices I end up making later in the day (friend's birthday dinners, neighbors that bring me cookies, a few glasses of wine), I know that I at least put something good in my body already, giving it vital nutrients.

The problem was, when I would go out of town or things would get really busy at work, it was too easy for me to "fall off the wagon" and starting making poor food choices again. I simply wouldn't have the time to spend 20 minutes cutting up fruits or veggies and washing kale just for a drink in the morning. Until one day, when I was sitting on the beach and reading a magazine. I found a list of meal prep tips for taking healthy lunches to work so thought what if I could apply this principle to my morning smoothies? This has been a lifesaver for me, not only does it take me 60 seconds to make one of these in the morning - I have saved tons of money and waste from veggies going bad in my fridge! It's also tons of fun coming up with new recipes.

Instead of waking up earlier or rushing around, I pre-prep all of my smoothie ingredients and freeze them in individual bags ready to blend. When I go to the farmers market or local produce stand, I try to pick ingredients that can be used in multiple recipes. Most shopping trips yield ingredients for 3-4 smoothie servings of each recipe and leaves me prepped for almost 2 weeks of deliciousness. This past week, it was so fun to visit our local produce stand A&F Country Market. This market is literally located out in the fields off of Olivas Park in Ventura. Pumpkin patches are popping up all around the market and with fall harvest comes some of my favorite foods being in season so I decided to put the spinach down and focus on some fall flavor.

All 3 recipes I am sharing with you this week are SUPERFOOD Smoothies. If you're new to the term "superfood", it describes foods that are highly rich in vitamins and nutrients that are especially beneficial to your health and well-being. You probably already eat tons of superfoods if you maintain a healthy diet which includes salmon, berries, and yes - spinach. I however, have become accustomed to some of the lesser known superfoods which have really taken my smoothies to the next level. This is a list of my favorites at the moment:

Goji Berries

Maca

Spirulina

Cacao Nibs

Chia Seeds

Bee Pollen

Coconut Oil

Avocado

I find that I can add all of the above superfoods easily to any recipe. You can also add greens to any of my fall superfood smoothies without altering the taste much and giving them an added boost of nutrients! I hope you enjoy and thank you for letting me share. I'm always posting new recipes and wellness inspo (along with my daily life adventures) so feel free to follow me on Instagram @ladywonderland .... see you on the mat!!

XO with Love & Gratitude,

Alyssa

SMOOTHIE PREP:

plan ahead for a few different recipes you want to make when going to the market
always have your superfoods on hand, many are available in powders or dried for easy add-ins that you can store in the pantry.
have freezable containers. I use plastic freezer bags but if you don't like to use plastic, you can freeze wide mouth mason jars (not the kind with shoulders, they will break)
free up an hour. It usually takes me about an hour to cut up and bag all of my smoothies (including baking a sweet potato or the like)
use the seasons. I love using seasonal ingredients, for example, coconut pineapple green smoothies are amazing with coconut water that is refreshing in the summer heat
NO ICE! The beauty of these is you don't even need to add ice because everything is frozen.
MAKE IT PERSONAL. You can always add protein, greens, or anything you need to fit your personal dietary needs.