Beverages

As you might have guessed, I LOVE smoothies. Because they’re easy to digest, I always start my day with a gigantic fruit and veggie-packed smoothie. When I’m low on groceries or simply need to use up the random ingredients in my fridge/freezer, I’ll start tossing things in the blender in hopes of coming up with something delicious.

That’s how this amazing smoothie was created! The result was surprisingly delicious and the color is stunning! This creamy concoction is packed with all kinds of beauty nutrients. Good skin starts from within and every meal is an opportunity to nourish your skin. Eating plenty of colorful produce is one of the best ways to keep your skin looking clear, firm and radiant.

This smoothie is definitely a beauty booster – inside and out. It contains beet which is anti-inflammatory, helps to purify the blood, cleanse the liver and is a good source of iron. You’re also getting plenty of vitamin C, antioxidants, B vitamins, healthy fats and fiber from all the other goodness like avocado, celery, strawberries, cucumber and lemon. If you really want to kick things up a notch, try sprinkling a teaspoon of bee pollen over the top of the smoothie. Bee pollen is known for its rich and varied nutritional properties – it is high in proteins, amino acids, vitamins and folic acid.

Cheers, gorgeous!

Beauty Booster Beet Smoothie

Vegan, Raw & Gluten-Free

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water or coconut water
• 1 medium avocado
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 small beet, roughly chopped (with or without skin)
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 small lemon, juiced
• 1 teaspoon bee pollen (optional)

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients into a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour into glass and top with bee pollen, if you so desire.

Photo credit: my sister, Jenny Norris

You may have noticed things look a little different around here.  We received a makeover! A new season and a new direction for the site called for a fresh design. What do you think? I hope you like it as much as I do!

It has been a few weeks since my last post, but for good reason. June was a crazy busy month for us and July is flying by as well. Highlights include:

• A trip to Austin for my birthday. Complete with outdoor music, boating, lots of yummy food and great company. It is such a cool town!
• Our wedding was on June 21st in Iowa. We shared a very intimate ceremony with our immediate families – just 12 of us in total. It was dreamy.
• After returning home to NYC, we played tourists while showing my husband’s family all the sights.
• We went upstate for two nights to relax poolside.
• Yesterday we went on a day trip to Fire Island for some fun in the sun. I’m still washing sand out of my hair.

My juicing game hasn’t been up to scratch lately and last week I was paying the consequences. I spent 4th of July weekend recovering from a cold. I was feeling a little run down from all the traveling we’ve been doing (and all the fun we’ve been having). This juice has been the perfect remedy to mend me back to health.

My Classic Green Juice

Serves 1, yields about 12 ounces of juice

Ingredients:

• 1/2 a cucumber
• 3 stalks celery
• 5 stalks of kale
• 2 cups spinach
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Run all ingredients through a juicer and juice away.

Photo credit: my sister, Jenny Norris.

You know what, friends? It looks like Spring has finally arrived in NYC! In fact, there have been some pretty hot days here already. One way I combat the heat is with a cold smoothie. This one has been a favorite of mine for a while now.

Cherry season is right around the corner, so keep this recipe close when the time hits! Feel free to use frozen cherries until then. Cherries are packed with antioxidants and offer many health benefits. They help support healthy sleep, help lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation in the body and also aid in the recovery of muscles post-workout.

You’ll love how creamy, sweet and slightly tart this smoothie is. Kind of makes me want one right now… another one, that is.

Cherry Bomb Smoothie

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut water
• 1 cup cherries, pitted (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries or strawberries
• 1 cup leafy green (I used spinach)
• 3 Tbsp milled flaxseed
• 1 avocado

Directions:

1. Toss all ingredients in a high power blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy.

Note: Also delicious with a tablespoon of raw cacao for a chocolatey treat :)

Photo credit: My sister, Jenny.