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The Perfect Winter Breakfast: The Gingerbread Smoothie

By Gabriela Pierre, L.Ac.

The Perfect Winter Breakfast: The Gingerbread SmoothieI am a huge fan of healthy, homemade smoothies in the morning.

They are nutrient-dense and easy to make then take on-the-go. But, my appetite for them precipitously declines during the wintery months. The last thing I crave is something cold when it’s cold outside. I realized that the reason my summer berry smoothies didn’t call to me in the winter was a matter of ingredients. This winter I discovered my favorite winter smoothie: the gingerbread smoothie.

This delicious holiday smoothie recipe is filled with healthy, warming spices from ginger and nutmeg to cinnamon and cloves. These spices really pack a punch when it comes to nutrition and taste.

This recipe features just the right combination of protein, fat and minerals, not to mention it will kick-start that sluggish holiday digestion you’ve been complaining about for weeks, thanks to the ginger. And it doesn’t have to be served chilled. It can be consumed at room temperature if your heart so desires.

The Gingerbread Smoothie

  • 1 ripe banana, frozen or room temp
  • 1-1.5 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 Tbsp. almond butter
  • 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
  • 2 Tbsp. molasses
  • ½ tsp. vanilla
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. ground ginger (or freshly grated)
  • 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of ground cloves
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Thin with additional almond milk or water, if desired.

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East Bay Acupuncture: Sean Michal Hall, East Bay Acupuncturist · Filed Under: Author: Gabriela Pierre, Nutrition, Recipes Tagged With: gingerbread, gingerbread smoothie, gingerbread smoothie recipe, healthy smoothies, smoothie, smoothies, winter smoothie

How to Make Delicious, Nutrient-Dense Smoothies

By Sean Michael Hall, L.Ac.

Having a smoothie for breakfast can be one of the healthiest habits you develop, if it consists of the right ingredients.

Most mornings my breakfast consists of about 2 pint glasses worth of blended vegetables, fruit, seeds, herbs, grass-fed whey protein and various superfoods. It only takes 3 to 5 minutes to make, assuming all of the ingredients are handy. Though it is a liquid, it fills me up for 4 or 5 hours until lunch.

Most importantly, I know that I will always have at least one meal every day that is loaded with lots of superfoods known to support sustained energy levels, a strong immune system, vibrant looking, clear skin and general vitality. Plus, many of these ingredients have potent anti-inflammatory effects and are known to decrease your chances of getting cancer and other major illnesses.

This article offers guidelines and specific foods I recommend using, not a specific recipe. Make sure your kitchen is well stocked with the necessary fresh ingredients once a week, and then have fun combining them each morning. Simply add 1 or 2 ingredients from each of the seven categories below to a high-powered blender. You will learn quickly how much of each ingredient to add to create a well-balanced smoothie that tastes great.

Vegetables to Use In Smoothies1) Vegetables

  1. Celery
  2. Fennel Root
  3. Cucumbe
  4. Baby Greens Mix (arugula, chard, spinach, kale)
  5. Spinach

These are my favorite vegetables to add, but get creative and use whichever vegetables you enjoy. I usually choose both a watery vegetable like celery or cucumber, along with a leafy green vegetable like spinach or the baby greens mix. Two large celery sticks or a 1/2 cucumber along with a large handful of greens is an example of what I typically use. I usually don’t add root vegetables, but you can!

Fresh Fruit for Smoothies2) Fruit (frozen or fresh)

  1. Wild Blueberries
  2. Strawberries
  3. Raspberries
  4. Blackberries
  5. Boysenberries
  6. Acai Berries
  7. Marion Berries
  8. Cherries
  9. Pineapple
  10. Pomegranate

As you can see, I love berries. And the fruit component of my smoothies often consists solely of them. Berries, in many ways, are the most nutritious fruit because they are loaded with a variety of anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and blood sugar regulating nutrients, without a lot of extra fructose.

I prefer frozen berries, for 3 reasons:

  1. They are affordable! Fresh berries are very expensive, so if I am eating them every day cost is a major deterrent
  2. Berries are usually frozen very close to the time they are picked, which preserves many of the healthy constituents until the time you eat them. Often, by the time you eat berries from the store, they have been picked a week or more in the past, losing vital nutrients with each passing day.
  3. They help create a moderately cold, more drinkable smoothie without having to add ice.

Keep in mind; organic berries are a must, as conventional berries are high on the list of most pesticide-laden fruits.

Seeds & Nuts in Smoothies3) Seeds & Nuts

  1. Pumpkin Seeds
  2. Black Sesame Seeds
  3. Sunflower Seeds
  4. Chia Seeds
  5. Flax Seeds
  6. Macadamia Nuts
  7. Brazil Nuts

I usually add a medium handful of 1 variety each morning. My refrigerator is stocked with all, so I will rotate through them each week. Seeds have a broad spectrum of nutrients that are linked to vibrant health. They are especially loaded with minerals that are easily absorbed, plus healthy fats, protein and fiber.

4) Herbs & Spices

  1. Turmeric Rhizome
  2. Ginger Rhizome
  3. Fresh Basil
  4. Fresh Cilantro
  5. Fresh Parsley
  6. Fresh Mint
  7. Clove, Cinnamon, Fennel, Cardamom and/or Ginger (powdered)

Turmeric and ginger are so healthy that I include a thumb worth of each in my smoothie every morning. I almost always include a handful of fresh basil or cilantro since they are such potent anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer plants. In the winter, I add a teaspoon of combined powdered spices to support digestive fire. All of the above ingredients add a very unique and, in my opinion, pleasant taste to the smoothie.

Add protein to your Smoothie5) Protein

PaleoMeal by Designs for Health

PaleoMeal is a grass-fed whey protein powder that also includes many other metabolism boosting, blood sugar regulating nutrients, like L-Glutamine, Creatine, Zinc, Magnesium and Chromium.

It is the best protein powder on the market that I have seen, so I use it every morning. If you do not tolerate dairy, Designs for Health has non-dairy options. I do not recommend any protein powder containing soy protein isolates or whey from cows that are not grass-fed.

Coconut Oil - Add Fat to Smoothie6) Fat

  1. 1 to 2 tsp. Coconut Oil
  2. 1/2 Avocado
  3. Yogurt (full-fat, non-sweetened)

A large body of research now tells us how important fats and oils are in helping our body absorb and utilize the nutrients in fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices. Adding a good amount of olive oil to salads, sautéing spices in ghee, adding butter to steamed broccoli, turmeric powder in whole milk, and adding fat to your smoothies can greatly increase the percentage of nutrients absorbed. Plus, each of the above 3 foods has many additional health benefits.

Superfoods & Adaptogenic Herbs in Smoothies7) Superfoods & Adaptogenic Herbs

  1. Matcha (powdered green tea)
  2. Maca Root Powder
  3. Goji Berries
  4. Spirulina, Chlorella and/or Blue-Green Algae Powder
  5. Ashwagandha Powder
  6. Royal Jelly or Bee Pollen
  7. Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)

There is enough research showing benefit for each of the above to warrant the cost. Add a decent amount of 1 or 2 each morning. Again, vary the ingredients each day so that you are getting some of each, each week.

The sweetness factor!

Most people will not want to drink a smoothie that is not at least mildly and pleasantly sweet. If you have plenty of protein, fat and fiber in the smoothie, then sweetening your smoothie moderately is perfectly healthy.

One or two of the following ingredients, added to taste, will do the trick:

  1. Tart Cherry Concentrate (it’s actually very sweet)
  2. Fresh Pineapple (if any juice has separated out, that will be especially sweet)
  3. Pomegranate Juice
  4. Cherry Juice
  5. Fresh, In-Season, Juicy Stone-Fruit (especially nectarines and peaches)

Combine, Blend and Drink!

As mentioned, all you need to do is choose 1 or 2 ingredients from the seven categories above. Add them to a high-powered blender, pour and drink. I use a Vitamix blender, but you can probably get by with a less expensive model. Again, think of this as a full meal.

For me, that means I will want to drink 2 or more pint glasses each morning. Some experimentation is in order, and the only way for you to find the perfect smoothies with the right flavor and consistency for you, is to do it a few mornings in a row. I bet, your first smoothie will be delicious, and they will just get better over time.

Here’s an example of my breakfast this morning:

1/2 Cucumber
1 stalk Celery
1 large handful Baby Greens (chard, spinach, arugula)
1 small handful frozen, organic Boysenberries
1 small handful frozen, organic Strawberries
1 handful Pumpkin Seeds
1 thumb Ginger Rhizome
1 thumb Turmeric Rhizome
1 handful fresh Cilantro
1 scoop PaleoMeal
1 rounded tsp. Coconut Oil
1 Tbsp. Maca Root Powder
1 small handful Goji Berries

Plus: a long squeeze of Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate for sweetness, and enough Coconut Water to result in the desired consistency.

This yielded 2.5 pints of smoothie, which was the perfect amount to last me 5 hours until lunch.

Final Thoughts

  1. I go shopping each Sunday to make sure I have enough of all of the above ingredients to allow for varied smoothies throughout the week. Keeping your kitchen well stocked is essential. Once the ingredients are there, it only takes a few minutes to blend them.
  2. If your fruit, vegetables or added sweetening agents didn’t include enough liquid, as is usually the case, you will need to add enough water, coconut water, chilled green tea or juice to find the right consistency.
  3. All smoothies are not healthy! Compare the smoothie I’ve described to a typical smoothie consisting of banana, apple juice, ice and a soy-based protein powder and the difference should be apparent. The ingredients I’ve mentioned above are the best anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and general health promoting foods on the planet. Your smoothie should have no fillers. A breakfast consisting of nothing but those foods is the best thing you can do for your health. In addition to exercising regularly, sleeping enough and having fun, of course!
  4. And finally, breakfast is the easiest meal to make into a routine. Anything that becomes a routine part of life is easy to maintain for the long-term with very little effort on your part. Buy the ingredients this coming Sunday, do it three mornings in a row, and you’ll be hooked!!

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East Bay Acupuncture: Sean Michal Hall, East Bay Acupuncturist · Filed Under: Adaptogenic Herbs, Author: Sean Michael Hall, Nutrition, Recipes Tagged With: anti-inflammatory, balanced smoothie, breakfast smoothie, East Bay Nutrition, healthy habits, making smoothies, nutrition, Sean Michael Hall, smoothies

Green Juice Recipe

By Sean Michael Hall, L.Ac.

Green Juice RecipeWarm, summer days are the perfect time of year to enjoy fresh juice. And juice that you make yourself or with loved ones is by far the best. Nothing compares to farm fresh produce, straight from juicer to mouth. Once you’ve taken a look at my juicing guidelines, give this recipe a try. It’s by far my favorite.

Green Juice Recipe

1 large Cucumber
1 medium Fennel bulb (with greens)
1 bunch Celery sticks
1 bunch Spinach
1 bunch Parsley (Italian)
1 medium Lime (with peel)
1 medium Apple (with peel & core)
1 thumb Gingerroot (more or less to taste)

Directions: You can either juice or blend this recipe. If you want to preserve all of the fiber and make it more of a meal, you can blend it. Make sure you have a relatively powerful blender. If you want a light, refreshing beverage a juicer is required.

I love this recipe! It tastes amazing, and the emphasis on green vegetables makes it super healthy. The exclusion of cruciferous vegetables makes it easy to digest. The spinach and parsley both provide a broad range of nutrients and other health promoting ingredients. The fennel, lime and ginger aid digestion and give the recipe a robust, unique flavor. The apple gives a touch of sweetness, without adding too much sugar.

The great thing about juicing is that the possibilities are endless. Why not visit a farmer’s market this weekend? Get creative!

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East Bay Acupuncture: Sean Michal Hall, East Bay Acupuncturist · Filed Under: Author: Sean Michael Hall, Detoxification, Nutrition, Recipes Tagged With: East Bay Nutrition, easy juicing recipe, green juice, green juice recipe, jucing, juicing recipe, natural health, nutrition, vegetable juice

Muesli – A Quick, Tasty Breakfast Recipe

By Sean Michael Hall, L.Ac.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, though unfortunately, it’s the meal most commonly skipped.

A healthy breakfast should contain fiber, fat and protein.

Not only do we need those macronutrients for good health, but in this recipe they also slow the transit time of glucose to the bloodstream, from the complex carbohydrates. This helps to regulate blood sugar levels throughout the day, keeping one grounded and focused until lunch. It also helps to satiate, and reduce mid-afternoon and late-night snacking. And the combination of eating a healthy breakfast that satiates, and not eating after 8pm at night, is one of the best ways to take some of the excess pounds off.

All this recipe takes is a quick run to a market that has a good bulk section for ingredients and five minutes preparation to combine and store a month’s supply. Once you’ve mixed the muesli, simply soak a cup overnight in water and yogurt, and cook for 4-5 minutes the next morning. Make sure to add some of the recommended toppings, like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, coconut milk, whole milk, butter or ghee to make it even more nutritious and tasty.

Sean’s Fantabulous Muesli

Ingredients:

  • 10 cups steel-cut oats (or combination of grain flakes)
  • 1 cup ground coconut
  • 1 cup coconut flakes
  • 1 cup sesame seeds
  • 1 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1 cup black sesame seeds
  • 1 cup chia seeds
  • 1 cup flax seeds
  • 1 cup goji berries
  • 1 cup black currants
  • 1 cup dried cherries, cranberries or blueberries

Directions:

  • The night before, mix 1-cup water, 1-cup muesli and 2 T. yogurt, and let soak at room temperature overnight.
  • In the morning, add 1-cup water, whatever spices you like and ½ t. sea salt.
  • Simmer for a few minutes, until soft and the right consistency.
  • Take off heat, and add any combination of coconut milk, whole milk, butter, ghee, or almond milk; plus a small amount of raw honey, raw cane sugar or maple syrup.

Soaking the muesli in water and yogurt overnight has numerous health and taste benefits. Soaking grains aids in their digestion, and the probiotics in the yogurt increases B and other vitamins in the grains and nuts. Plus, our body needs copious amounts of the healthy bacteria found in the yogurt starter to keep our digestive and immune systems healthy.

Don’t be afraid to add fats like butter, coconut cream or whole milk from clean, responsible sources to your breakfast. Yes, they are calorie-dense, but they are also nutrient-dense, and their satiating effect can alleviate sugar cravings later in the day. And as the more informed of you know , simply speaking, it is the sugar, not the fat in our meals that makes us fat.

And finally, don’t skimp on the spices! Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and cardamom have all been extensively studied in recent years, and their anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, blood-sugar regulating effects have been well documented.

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East Bay Acupuncture: Sean Michal Hall, East Bay Acupuncturist · Filed Under: Author: Sean Michael Hall, Nutrition, Recipes Tagged With: anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, breakfast recipe, healthy breakfast, Muesli, Muesli recipe, natural health, nutrition, probiotics

Perfect Winter Smoothie

By Sean Michael Hall, L.Ac.

Perfect Winter Smoothie Ingredients:

  • 1 cup blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries(frozen or fresh)
  • 1 – 2 scoops green powder – I recommend Garden of Life’s Perfect Food
  • 1 cup pomegranate, cherry or blueberry Juice(alternate)
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 2 – 4 tbsp pumpkin, chia, sunflower or sesame seeds(alternate)
  • 1 thumbs worth ginger root
  • 1 thumbs worth turmeric root
  • ¼ lime (include peel)
  • ¼ – ½ tsp total clove, nutmeg, cardamom, and/or cinnamon powder
  • As needed: water or chilled green tea
  • If you want to make it into a full breakfast, add:
  • 1 scoop protein powder – I recommend Design for Health’s Paleomeal

Or serve with 2 eggs and/or 2 slices of Ezekial Sprouted Bread. If the smoothie needs more liquid, add water or room-temperature green tea, not more juice. Fresh turmeric root can be found at Berkeley Bowl, Farmer Joe’s, and sometimes at Whole Foods.

Protein, Fat & Low-Glycemic Index Fruits

Be wary of smoothies that have an abundance of fruit and fruit juice, without protein and fat. They are not healthy, as they raise blood sugar levels quickly; often times, just as quickly as a can of soda. The coconut oil and seeds in this recipe perfectly balances the smoothie.

Healthy fat and protein help to satiate, and reduce cravings. They have a calming, grounding effect. They regulate blood-sugar levels. And recent studies show that many of the phytonutrients found in fruits and vegetables are more completely absorbed when eaten with fats.

Choice of fruit is very important also, as berries and cherries are low on the glycemic index (GI), which means they raise blood sugar levels moderately and slowly. Pomegranate juice is a little higher, but it’s got so many other benefits that having it in the balanced way this recipe calls for keeps it healthy.

Eat with the Season in Mind

Eating only fruits and vegetables that are in season locally is a great idea. But honestly, I find that it’s not very practical, and I often deviate from that ideal. Still, there is a lot you can do to make sure that you’re eating with the seasons in mind. Winter is a time for emphasizing warming, grounding, mostly-cooked meals.

The raw ingredients in this smoothie make it the exception for me, but I balance it with the addition of ginger and turmeric root, and lots of spices. If you find that you need something even more warming, add an additional ¼ tsp each of dried ginger powder and cinnamon powder. These are both potent herbs in Chinese Medicine for tonifying the Yang, and building warmth.

You can find Design for Health’s Paleomeal and Garden of Life’s Perfect Food at my clinic, East Bay Acupuncture & Natural Medicine.

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East Bay Acupuncture: Sean Michal Hall, East Bay Acupuncturist · Filed Under: Author: Sean Michael Hall, Nutrition, Recipes Tagged With: Chinese Medicine, fruit smoothie, ginger root, smoothie recipe, turmeric root, winter smoothie

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