From BLOG
Easy Fixes for Your Top Smoothie Fails
Smoothies. Five minutes. A world of options. And way too many chances for this simple dish to go completely off-the-rails. I’ve heard about your worst smoothie fails, because I’ve been there too. I’ve rounded up the top five most common fails and paired them with easy fixes to get your smoothie back on track.
Fail #1: Texture (Too Thick, Thin, or Gritty)
Like that little girl who ate the porridge and fell asleep in the bears’ house, you have to find the texture that’s juuuuust right. I recommend using one cup of water with your favorite Vega® shake but that’s a suggestion, not a rule.
How to Fix It
Too thick: Add more liquid. Keep in mind, the more you blend, the thinner it may get, so if it doesn’t seem thin enough try blending longer. Blend for 60 to 90 seconds and if your blender has levels, use ‘em. Start off slow and low, slowly increase the speed, pulse, then drop it back down before turning it off.
Too thin: Add more ice, or more frozen fruit.
Too gritty: If your smoothie is gritty, your powder just needs more blender time. If you’re sensitive to fibrous textures, stay away from fibrous veggies like banana and use ice or frozen berries instead.
It’s all about you, my friend. Start with one cup of liquid. If it’s too thin, add more ice or frozen fruit. If it’s too thick, add more liquid. Always add liquid first, then powder, give it a quick blend to combine, and then add ice and remaining ingredients (and more liquid if you want to thin it out).
Fail #2: Powder Sticks to the Blender
You’ve added all of your ingredients—liquid, powder, extra leafy greens (you health fan, you) and frozen fruit. As your blender whirls you realize what’s happened; the powder is stuck to the sides of the blender. Ugh! So you open the lid and try to push it off with your hand but ohhhh that is way too cold so you grab a spoon. The spoon only serves as a way to transfer the powder and cold sticky smoothie mix off the side blender and onto the spoon. So you grab a spatula to scrape the spoon and get that mixture back into the blender. Finally, when it’s back in its rightful spot, you blend until combined.
How to Fix It
Save yourself some dishes and frustration by blending your liquid and powder for a hot second first (make sure you add liquid then powder). Then add your remaining ingredients to avoid the frozen fruit or veggies from forcing the powder against the walls of the blender.
Fail #3: Too Sweet
You want your smoothie to be flavorful but you’re not after too much sweetness. If your smoothie base is fruit juice and you always add frozen fruit you may be experiencing sweetness overload. Like watching a cute kitten video, while playing with a dog, and getting a smile from a baby, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.
How to Fix It
Try half water/half juice or swap your juice entirely for water or unsweetened almond milk. Since your Vega shake is sweetened with stevia, which is a sweet no calorie sweeteners, it can give you the sweet taste you’re looking for without added fruit or fruit juice. If you’re particularly sensitive to the taste of stevia, I recommend trying a splash of tart lemon juice or adding creamy avocado to your smoothie. They both offer a nice balance to the sweet taste of stevia.
Fail #4: Didn’t Drink It Fast Enough and Now it’s Sludgy
You brought your smoothie to work, to enjoy as you casually catch up on emails and ease into your day. But then as soon as you got to work, you were met with a situation that needed your master problem-solving power, STAT. Fast forward to two hours later and you’re finally ready to take a sip. Only now it’s sludgy, with a gel-like texture, and it’s warm. Depending what you mix your Vega shake with and which shake you choose, it can thicken as it sits.
How to Fix It
Always add ice or frozen fruit and/or veggies to your shake. Cold is best. I recommend that you enjoy your smoothie as fresh as possible, so blend, sip and enjoy. Sure, you can let your smoothie sit for an hour or two, sure you can blend at night, refrigerate and enjoy in the morning but if you’re going to do that we recommend giving it a refresh with ice and a quick blend.
Fail #5: Mixed with Dairy Milk
Your smoothie exploded when you mixed it with dairy milk or yogurt. (Kidding, that won’t happen.)
How to Fix It
Plants for the win. We recommend non-dairy beverages such as almond, hemp, coconut, or rice milk (to name a few). However, if you like dairy, go for it. Water, chilled tea, and 100% juice are also excellent options. Check out the smoothie section of the MyVega.com Recipe Center for some amazing plant-based smoothie recipes.
Happy Blending!
Tell me about a time you had a complete smoothie fail! How did you fix it (or not)?
5 Foods For Glowing Skin
Want health, glowing, youthful skin? Yes – me too! I’ve noticed that what I eat plays a huge role in the health of my hair, nails and skin. When I’m eating loads of fruits, veggies and healthy fats I find my skin is dewy and I feel like I even look younger. The opposite is also true -when I’m dehydrated and not eating as I normally would my skin pays the price. It’s dry, dull and not at all youthful.
That’s no coincidence. Enjoying fresh, whole foods offers the nutrients needed for clearer, more youthful looking and glowing skin. With that in mind here are my top 5 faves for glowing skin:
1. Spinach
Leafy greens like my fave, spinach, are an excellent source of antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin A. These vitamins are beneficial for cellular repair and regeneration which can show in the look and feel of your skin. Smoothies are a great way to get more greens into your day. One of my faves is this glowing skin green smoothie!
2. Pineapple
Pineapple is a great source of an enzyme, called bromelain, which can help reduce inflammation. Inflammation can be caused by a number of things from what we eat to stress to not getting enough sleep. Inflammation isn’t a bad thing, in fact it is a wonderful thing for helping the body heal, short term. What we want want to stay away from is chronic inflammation which can show in the skin as acne and wrinkles. The skin is offers us clues as to how we are doing on the inside. When we see signs of inflammation in the skin that could be a sign that not only or skin but our whole body could use a bit more love. Good news though – the foods that can help beautify the skin are working from the inside out and can help support overall health!
As we age skin loses some of its elasticity and firmness which is partly due to loss of collagen. This loss can lead to fine lines and wrinkles! You can boost your collagen production with nutrients such as vitamin C, found in pineapple. Try adding pineapple to your fave smoothies, salads and salsas.
3. Coconut Oil
The healthy fats in coconut oil are important for youthful, soft and dewy (aka glowing) looking skin. Coconut also has antioxidant vitamin E, which is important for healthy skin. Find ways to incorporate coconut oil into your routine here.
4. Nuts
My fave nuts for skin health are Brazil nuts and walnuts. Brazil nuts contain antioxidant mineral selenium which is beneficial for healthy skin because selenium can aid in supporting skin that has been exposed to sun damage. Walnuts are another fave because of their healthy fats. I keep these nuts around for snacks and for adding to smoothies and salads.
5. Chia Seeds
These little seeds are full of healthy Omega-3 fats that help keep your skin soft and dewy; giving you a glow from the inside out. I add chia seeds to overnight oats, smoothies and more. Try making a chia seed pudding like this one!
Bonus: Water
While water isn’t a food we can’t talk about beauty without talking about water. When you are dehydrated it shows in your skin. Stay hydrated with leafy green veggies such as spinach and chard and fruits such as pineapple and watermelon and by drinking water all throughout the day.
What are your fave foods for beautiful, glowing skin? Let me know!
Coconut photo cred here
Operation You Q&A
1. How does one break the habit of relying on tons of sugar to get them through the day?
2. How many times during the week do you grocery shop/how many days in advance do you meal prep for?
3. What are good alternatives to coffee?
4. What can you order that is healthy while you’re out for dinner?
Bottom line is health goals aren’t all or nothing, they don’t have to be restrictive, huge changes. That’s a misconception. They’re a way to get focused on what’s important.
You Can Build Lean Muscle
It’s been said that energy flows where your attention goes. If you want to gain lean muscle, putting your attention on fitness and your post-workout nutrition is key.
To build lean muscle, focus your attention on a combination of nutrition, strength training, cardio and rest. It’s the whole, ‘health from the inside out’, lifestyle change thing you’ve heard about. As an Ambassador for withinus TruMarine you can find this originally published on their blog.
Nutrition
Whatever your fitness pursuit is, build the foundation of your diet on healthy fats, clean carbs, vitamins, minerals and protein. Just keeping it real, protein is non-negotiable when it comes to building lean muscle.
Protein plays a role in building and repairing muscle. withinUs TruMarine™ Collagen is a good source of the amino acid, glycine, which plays a role in protein synthesis and creatine production. Why is that important? Creatine aids in muscle growth, which, in conjunction with fitness and adequate rest, can support the lean muscle gain you’re after.
Post workout- go for a high protein (5+ grams per serving) meal or snack, such as a shake, smoothie bowl, yogurt, or power bowl. The lowdown on withinUs TruMarine™ Collagen, is that it’s tasteless, odorless and dissolves quickly, so you can easily add it seamlessly to your favourite post-workout meal or snack.
Sweat
Focus on a combination of full-body strength training, and cardio. Stay consistent and vary your workouts for a well-rounded approach. That way you’ll never get bored and keep those muscles guessing. Listen to your body and consider increasing weight, intensity or duration as you get stronger, as long as it feels safe.
If you’re in Vancouver, BC, I recommend checking out Tight Sweat at Tight Club for a full-body, HITT workout with a community vibe. Strengthen and lengthen, low impact style with Pilates at Lagree and get your cardio dance party on with me, on the bike, at Spin Society!
To fuel up your post sweat session, this is the best recipe.
POST-SWEAT BERRY YOGURT
Ingredients
½ cup yogurt
1 cup berries (fresh, frozen or a combo)
1 scoop withinUs TruMarine™ Collagen
Lime zest
Bonus: 1-2 tsp powdered sea greens, such as Chlorella or Spirulina
Directions
Layer yogurt, berries, yogurt, berries
Stir withinUs TruMarine™ Collagen and sea greens (optional)
Top with a few more berries and lime zest.
Rest
For me, the hardest part of any new habit is starting. To ensure I keep a habit going I continue my routine, even on vacation. That means bringing my fave supplements with me and making time to try new workouts, wherever I am. withinUs TruMarine™ Collagen stick packs are the best for on the go. I keep them at the office, in my gym bag and my travel bag.
While on vacay, I love to stir a stick pack into water and drink it while I relax post-workout.
This brings me to the final piece of the puzzle- rest. Allowing your body time to rest and recover is essential to give your body the space it needs to regenerate, rebuild and repair.
Let the energy flow, with focused attention on these key aspects of lean muscle gain, feel confident and at ease knowing you got this.
Freezing Seasonal Foods
Have you ever wondered, “Can I freeze this?” or, “How long can I freeze this for?” Look no further, I’ve got your ultimate guide to freezing so you can maximize you seasonal food purchases, for months to come. As originally posted on MyVega.com.
1. Burn, Baby, Burn
Like that horrible nightmare of showing up to school or work in your underwear, no one likes to be exposed. Same goes for food; exposure to cold air in the freezer is the main cause of freezer burn. Avoid freezer burn by storing your foods properly in air tight, freezer containers and bags to limit exposure. Date each container so you never have to wonder when you put it in the freezer.
Make sure you cool foods before freezing. I’ve been guilty of batch cooking chili, dividing and freezing right away, which only led to an improper seal on my Tupperware and major frost bite.
To maintain stable air flow, avoid overfilling your freezer. Jam-packing your freezer is like taking a bus, during rush hour, on a hot summer day. The air can’t circulate as it’s meant to which can lead to uneven freezing.
2. Defrost Like a Boss
To keep your food safe, defrost the night before in the fridge. For a quicker method defrost the container in a cool water bath. Cool water, not hot. Hot water may start to cook your food.
Once food is thawed use it right away. Do not refreeze thawed foods. If you thawed too much frozen fruit, make a smoothie. If you thawed too many frozen veggies, sauté them up, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with spices and serve as a side dish.
3. Say Whaaaa?
Non-dairy milk, onion, garlic… Can I freeze these? You sure can. Here are five foods you didn’t know you could put in the freezer.
Non-dairy milk and yogurt: Be mindful of your expiry dates, to not freeze past expiry date. Freeze your non-dairy milk and yogurt, before expiry, in ice cube trays for quick additions to your smoothies.
Garlic and onion: Peal, chop and store in freezer bags for stews, soups and pasta sauces.
Bread: Extend the shelf life of bread by storing loaves in the freezer. Toast and use for your favorite sandwiches or top with avocado for a delicious snack.
Pancakes (wax paper in between): Make your favorite protein pancakes, allow them to cool and store them with a small piece of wax paper in-between. Take out a couple protein packages, warm over med-low heat on a skillet and top with coconut oil, vegan butter, maple syrup or thawed frozen berries.
Herbs: Let’s hear it for herbs. They can be frozen too. Another use for ice cube trays is freezing fresh herbs. Learn how with Fresh Herbs 101.
4. Pack it Up, Pack it In
Pack on fall produce. Keep it fresh, even when it’s frozen by buying all your favorite fall produce and use it to make batch meals like Vegan Meat(less) Loaf that you can freeze and store for months to come (typically 2 to 3). Follow the recipe directions for storage timelines.
You can also buy fall produce like Brussels sprouts, carrots, and turnips, in bulk. They can be chopped and frozen for future use. Contrary to popular belief, nutrients aren’t decreased with freezing.
5. Fuhgeddaboudit
Forget throwing out scraps. Freeze ‘em. Freeze carrot and cabbage ends, vegetable peels and more in a freezer bag for soup stock.
What’s your top tip for freezing foods?
Five Ways to Be More Present
Life moves quickly. As I type this it’s already 5:30PM. One – how it is 5:30pm? I swear I just ate breakfast an hour ago. And two – how is it September? We’re going to blink and poof, Christmas. It’s easy to get caught up in it, to miss the moment but life doesn’t have to just pass you by.
With these five one minute ways to be more present you can create more mindfulness, even in the busiest of times. As originally posted on MyVega.com.
1. Create an Emoji-Free Zone
I did it for the ‘gram. Ever said that? I know I have. You’re having fun at a party, at home or out with your family and instead of enjoying the moment you think wow – this would make a great pic, snap or ‘gram.
I love social media; it brings together a large, worldwide community of people. It gives you the opportunity to share movements with loved ones and offers some pretty spectacular recipe and fitness inspiration. It also can take you away from the present moment by narrowing your view to what will fit in a photo or a ten second video.
Take a mini digital detox. The thing about moments is that they only truly happen once. Resist the urge to use the filter, post the photo, add the emoji and instead enjoy what’s in front of you.
2. Do Nothing
For one minute. Amidst the chaos, even with everything you have to do, you have one minute for you. Take it. Don’t look at your phone, talk, drink water, or eat. Just be. Sit quietly for one minute (you can even set a timer if that helps), breathe, take in your surroundings and acknowledge the feelings that come up.
3. Do Something New
Instead of hitting auto-pilot and scrolling through your phone or the to-do list in your head while you’re doing your daily activities, try something new. Strolling through the grocery store? Give yourself a minute to look up, look around, and grab something new. Instead of taking the same route, take a minute to find a new way to work, school, wherever you’re off to. When you try something new you need to focus on it, taking you away from your to-do list and dropping you square in the middle of the present moment.
4. Do One Thing
This one was the hardest for me to learn. Yes, learn. If you’re not used to it this may take time and you will have to work on it but that’s 100% ok and 100% worth it. Pick something you do every day like brushing your teeth and do only that (this example is actually next level presence – around two minutes, at least twice per day but you’re ready for it). Ever tried to make your bed and brush your teeth? I have and let me tell you this, I did neither effectively and it started off my day in a frustrated rush. Taking time to do one thing gives you a chance to slow down and give the task your undivided attention. No distractions, no rush, just you brushing your teeth.
5. That’s My Jam
Solo, with friends or family (pets included), scroll through your music library, find your favorite song and listen to it for a minute. Fully listen, hear the lyrics, get lost in the rhythm and if the mood strikes, belt out a chorus or two.
Fun fact: there are 52, 5600 minutes in a year, 1440 in a day and 60 in an hour. They’re all valuable and the more of them you show up for, the less of them will get away from you.
What are your favorite ways to stay present?
Planting the seed
Chatting about all things plant-based with Michelle Morton!
I try to live a very active lifestyle, but the summer can be hard! There is always so much going on. Some weeks are great; out hiking and eating well – and then there are other times with the ‘vacation mode’ mentality… deciding to just slack off and indulge.
So it comes down to balance. As much FUN as the summer has been, and I hate to say it, I’m sort of ready for the fall and to get back a bit of a routine.
Give me 3 months and I’ll be singing a different tune.
Getting back to balance – like most of you, I like to know what I’m eating, read labels, know where my food is from etc. Since I don’t eat animal products (meat, dairy, gelatin, fish etc). I need to make sure I’m getting all the nutrients I need, especially to be fuelled for all that I do.
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Five Ways to Be More Present
Life moves quickly. As I type this it’s already 5:30PM. One – how it is 5:30pm? I swear I just ate breakfast an hour ago. And two – how is it September? We’re going to blink and poof, Christmas. It’s easy to get caught up in it, to miss the moment but life doesn’t have to just pass you by.
With these five one minute ways to be more present you can create more mindfulness, even in the busiest of times (hello back to school). As originally posted on MyVega.com.
1. Create an Emoji-Free Zone
I did it for the ‘gram. Ever said that? I know I have. You’re having fun at a party, at home or out with your family and instead of enjoying the moment you think wow – this would make a great pic, snap or ‘gram.
I love social media; it brings together a large, worldwide community of people. It gives you the opportunity to share movements with loved ones and offers some pretty spectacular recipe and fitness inspiration. It also can take you away from the present moment by narrowing your view to what will fit in a photo or a ten second video.
Take a mini digital detox. The thing about moments is that they only truly happen once. Resist the urge to use the filter, post the photo, add the emoji and instead enjoy what’s in front of you.
2. Do Nothing
For one minute. Amidst the chaos, even with everything you have to do, you have one minute for you. Take it. Don’t look at your phone, talk, drink water, or eat. Just be. Sit quietly for one minute (you can even set a timer if that helps), breathe, take in your surroundings and acknowledge the feelings that come up.
3. Do Something New
Instead of hitting auto-pilot and scrolling through your phone or the to-do list in your head while you’re doing your daily activities, try something new. Strolling through the grocery store? Give yourself a minute to look up, look around, and grab something new. Instead of taking the same route, take a minute to find a new way to work, school, wherever you’re off to. When you try something new you need to focus on it, taking you away from your to-do list and dropping you square in the middle of the present moment.
4. Do One Thing
This one was the hardest for me to learn. Yes, learn. If you’re not used to it this may take time and you will have to work on it but that’s 100% ok and 100% worth it. Pick something you do every day like brushing your teeth and do only that (this example is actually next level presence – around two minutes, at least twice per day but you’re ready for it). Ever tried to make your bed and brush your teeth? I have and let me tell you this, I did neither effectively and it started off my day in a frustrated rush. Taking time to do one thing gives you a chance to slow down and give the task your undivided attention. No distractions, no rush, just you brushing your teeth.
5. That’s My Jam
Solo, with friends or family (pets included), scroll through your music library, find your favorite song and listen to it for a minute. Fully listen, hear the lyrics, get lost in the rhythm and if the mood strikes, belt out a chorus or two.
Fun fact: there are 52, 5600 minutes in a year, 1440 in a day and 60 in an hour. They’re all valuable and the more of them you show up for, the less of them will get away from you.
What are your favorite ways to stay present?
Top 5 Tips To Better Packed Lunches
Ever hid a sandwich behind your bed? I have. I never ate my lunch as a kid. By the time I got around to it my fruit was bruised, half peeled and all over my books and my sandwich was a squished up ball at the bottom of a bread bag. I’d toss the fruit at school but for some reason the sandwich would always end up under my bed.
Why am I sharing this face palm worthy piece of info with you? Whether you’ve done it yourself or your kids have brought home an untouched lunch, I can relate to the dreaded, soggy, squished lunch.
It’s time to say goodbye to sad, unfinished or unsatisfying and hello to a better with these lunch packing ideas that will help you make a lunch that offers the nutrition you’re looking for and the taste you want. One that’s packed up so nice it’s just as fresh at noon as it was at 7am. As originally posted on MyVega.com.
Stock Up
Put in some time to pick up adorable, colorful bento boxes, stackable, glass food storage containers and Mason Jars and save time later by taking your lunch on the go. Look for containers that are sealable as well as microwave and dishwasher safe for optimal convenience.
Prep Once, Eat Five Times
My go-to lunch transporter is Mason jars. Prep lunches for the week with one of these Mason jar ready recipes that can be divided into five jars.
Taco Salad in a Mason Jar
Upgrade your taco salad and enjoy taco Tuesday every day of the week. No need for a bowl, you can eat this one straight from the jar.
Give Your Sandwich a Makeover
You can make anything into a sandwich; the sandwich is the vessel that keeps everything together so it’s easy for transport and eating. No fuss, no muss, no mess.
Chickpea Falafel
Make these for dinner and enjoy the leftovers for lunch in a wrap.
Vegan Sushi
Handrolls are fun to make. Period. Once you make the rice all you have to do is load up on veggies (tofu optional), wrap, rock and roll.
Don’t Skip Your Snack
Prep your snacks ahead of time so you’re not reaching for a something from the bottom of your bag (what is that anyway?), coffee or something from the convenience store.
Fruit Leather
Get your fruit fix with added veggies. Make multiple batches and once and store them for up to one month so you always have snacks ready to roll (pun totally intended).
Chocolate Spicy Popcorn
Call it a snack, call it dessert, whatever you pick you’ll be calling up your popcorn maker again and again after trying this popcorn. Pop and portion this recipe into four so you have snacks for days.
Keep Your Cool
Keep your cool lunch cool with small, reusable ice packs that you can pick up at the grocery store, department store or even the dollar store. Take them out in the morning and freeze them again at night.
What’s your tip for packing the best lunch ever?
Mainly Bridgette 