Versatile Smoothie Recipe

How do we know what the year ahead will bring? (Happy New Year Everyone)

Happy 2015 wonderful people. I hope you have a fabulous year filled with good quality delicious ethical food and hoping all your dreams, desires and aspirations come true. I feel so blessed to have you all in my life allowing me the opportunity to share delicious recipes with you each week.

The question I pose to you in the title of this blog is one I have asked myself in the last few years - (how do i know what the year ahead will bring for me?) I have only asked myself this question when deaths in my family took me down a different path than i had imagined. Last year was a beauty, a much more equilibrious year with not big highs nor big lows.

I guess we really don't know what life will bring in each day let alone each year. All i can do personally is set my intentions for the year and trust that the divine will provide me with whatever it is I need to learn in 2015.

We can also work out how we would like our year to be and work towards that, with not so much attachment if things do take a different direction. For example last year I was convinced I would distribute my cook book to every health food shop in Australia and beyond. It didn't happen and I moved on to what my heart really wanted to do rather than what I had originally thought I would do and achieve. I didn't lose any sleep or tears over it just accepted the reality (this is new for me as I have lost many nights of sleep in my business).

2015 is a big one for me in the world of Veet's Cuisine as I am branching out into unknown territory. Taking my cooking classes to the next level and offering a comprehensive vegetarian chef's training. It excites me and frightens me all in the same breath but there it is at least I have the breath. I will take this new endevour one breath at a time.

So do you know what the new year will bring for you, have you made any lists or predictions, resolutions, intentions or promises? Would love to hear from you, please leave in the comments below.

My personal answer to the question I pose to you is- How do we know what the year ahead will bring? is:

I have a commitment to you all ensuring that my business runs with true food ethics at its core providing delicious food, weekly recipes and blog posts and working on new books to keep the recipes alive and being spread around.

I know I have some awesome retreats to cater on this year, twenty in fact for people I love dearly and new clients I can't wait to meet.

I will be starting The Vegetarian Chef's training program offering people the opportunity to learn all there is to learn in the world of vegetarian and vegan cuisine- offering this to people who want to become chefs or those who are dedicating their life to healthy eating.

I also know that i endevour to take my self care more seriously, taking a holiday (which I am doing right now as you receive this blog post- yahoooooooo) read a little every day, put moisturiser on my hands every night, do the yoga poses my yoga teacher has designed for me to do, take a walk every day and spend time with my beloved. Wow that is a big list.

Anyway I leave you now contemplating what you think the year ahead will bring for you and now I share with you a new beaut smoothie recipe to start the year off with.

Versatile Smoothie Recipe

This smoothie can easily be adapted to suit everyone's needs. I made it today first for myself with a low carbohydrate option adding nuts and seeds for good protein and good fats. And if you want a bit of extra fat you can add 3 tsp of coconut oil or cream. I don't like sweet smoothies for the first option was divine for me. I then added mango, banana and pasionfruit for Makrand who likes smoothies a bit sweeter. We shared the spirulina and hemp seeds adding more iron, calcium, B12 and making the glass of divineness a complete protein.

Everything was organic and for smoothies and juices this is so vital otherwise you are defeating the object of eating healthily.

Version 1

1 cup of mixed seeds and nuts, I used pepitas, sunflower seeds and brazil nuts (you could use almonds they will make it sweeter)

6 kale leaves chopped mixed with a good splash of lemon juice (this helps break down the oxilates and if you can be well prepared do this the night before)

8 strawberries (these are difficult to get organic right now- so use a cup of blueberries if you can't get)

1 cup water

up to 1 tbsp spirulina powder

4 tsp coconut oil (optional)

1 tbsp hemp seeds

Place the seeds and nuts in a blender and process until very fine, next add the kale leaves , whizz until they are small pieces. Add the strawberries including the green part whizz further then ,add the water and spirulina powder blending until all combined. Stir in the coconut oil if using and the hemp seeds.